Decsendants 2 the conversation to change her life
by MiaRussell
Summary: When Mal goes off to the Isle after the pressure of being the perfect Lady Of The Court gets too much, Evie, Jay, Carlos and Ben go after her in hopes of the purple-haired teenager returning to Auradon. Instead of Ben going up and talking to Mal, Evie does which in turn causing everything to change. See what happens when the story you watched changes for better or for worse.
1. Changing everything

Jay and Carlos were walking in front of the group with Evie and Ben behind. Ben was playing with his ring in the palm of his hand as he walked and Evie's eyes had glazed over from where she was holding back the tears but failing. Ben looked up at Evie and gently took her hand in his and as she quickly looked up at him, stopping on their way over to their old hangout, she felt safe , a feeling she never thought she could have on the isle a place that caused so much harm and made her cry almost every night. Ben smiled at her and pulled her into a hug which she returned and started to the feel the need to cry more then ever. Evie was always the brave one, not with fighting or arguing but with her emotions, she always made sure that everyone around her especially Mal was happy and content before she even started worrying about her self. If there was one thing Evie didn't like about herself, it was that she always held in her emotions so when the slightest thing happened she was inconsolable, not to say that she was weak or anything no Evie was anything but, but she was difficult to talk to when she was upset, especially if she was upset about her friends. Ben new the only one who could help Evie right now was Mal so he made a decision.

" Evie .. " Ben started as Evie pulled away from the hug and wiped the tears from her eyes.

" I'm sorry, I know you have a lot on you plate with Mal and me crying isn't probably helping but I can't help but think about anything bad. What if she doesn't want to see you? What if she decides to stay, I can't lose her she is my best friend and how she is here all because I slept in and wasn't awake to help her" Evie started but stopped when she need to cough. Ben was about to say something but Evie interrupted.

" I am so dumb, I am exactly what my mother said I was, an idiot and little girl who pays no attention and a failure, I should of just stayed here when you invited us six mouths ago, away from all of this" Evie said gesturing to Ben and the boys who were now staring at her as they had never seen her cry, only Mal and Doug saw her cry and the only reason Doug saw her cry was because she was crying in her room and Doug had accidentally walked in to finish the numbers for the dresses. Needless to say Evie was very picky about who sure her crying.

"You are not a failure E, never say that, your mother was the idiot and you know that " said a calming voice from the hideout. Evie and the rest of the group looked up to see Mal leaning over the rails of their hideout.

" Mal what are you doing?" Said Evie through her tears of joy that her best friend was ok

" E I'm fine now stop crying because you know you makeup is not waterproof " Mal said trying to make the girl laugh and she succeeded, Evie giggled and wiped her tears away. Mal scanned around the group until her eyes landed on a very odd looking person.

" Ben is that you ?" Mal asked but before Ben could respond Evie stepped in front of him so Mal could see her better.

" Mal can we talk ?" Evie said , her voice cracking from her crying. Mal stood there and shock her head, looking terrified and Ben new why. Before Evie could respond Ben spoke

" Not with me, just with Evie, Mal she needs you this is killing her please " Ben said and Mal stood there for a second and then nodded. Evie turned and looked at Ben and mouthed the words " thank you " Ben smiled back and when he saw that Mal walked away to open the door Ben quickly said

" bring her home please " and with that Evie nodded at all of them and walked up the stairs and into her shared room with Mal.

Evie saw Mal on her purple bed looking at the floor so Evie quietly walked over to her and placed her hand on Mal's shoulder. Mal placed her head on Evie's hand and started to cry.

" M, talk to me " Evie asked

Mal shock her head.

" come on " Evie replied after a short while in silence

Mal shock her head again.

" Mal you can't push people away not when it comes to things like this " Evie was started to get annoyed

" Yea I can " Mal muttered through her tears

" Maleficant Bertha Frairy we are not kids now if you don't tell what is wrong, I will storm down there and get Ben and make you two talk things out, please " Evie snapped but when she heard what she called Mal she placed her free hand over her mouth in shock. Mal looked up, anger now filled her eyes and she stood up and grabbed her spray paint and started to work on a empty part of the wall.

" I didn't mean it " said Evie after a long silence

" you sounded like you did " Mal spat but she never took her eyes of the painting.

" you know I was just trying to get you to talk " said Evie

" By calling me ... that, you know I hate it " Mal said after she finally tore her eyes away from the painting

" Why would you ever think of calling me that E, you know that is not my name " Mal added

" I do that will everyone, Jay is Jafar when he is upset because that's his full name so I did the same to you and I'm so sorry Mal" said Evie as she stood up and walked behind Mal, she placed her head on Mal's shoulders and stared at the painting on the wall, it was a painting where Mal was stood in front of the VK's and on the left to her was Evie. Evie smiled at the drawing and both of the girls stayed there, with Evie's headed resting on Mal's shoulder before Mal spoke up.

" promise me Evie that you will always be by my side I can't do this without you" Mal wishpered

" I promised now, what's going on " and with those six words Mal broke down, the silent tears Evie hadn't even noticed where there turned into steady streaks going down Mal's face. Mal turned around and wrapped her arm around Evie's neck just before her legs gave way from all the crying and she fell to the floor with Evie next to her. Evie was shocked and screamed as she felt her friend fall, she lay on the floor with a crying Mal's head resting on her lap, socking her dark blue jeans in tears. The boys came rushing in and when they saw the sight they all gasped which made Evie look up. She waved her friends away before Mal could see them so she didn't get to afraid and stop crying. The boys obeyed and stepped out of the room and Evie proceeded to strock Mal's purple hair like she did when they were kids. Mal started sobbing more and more until Evie was sure she was going to pass out as her breathing quickend and her breathes where shorter and multiplied in only seconds

" Mal come on breath in and out, like me , copy me " Evie said, breathing in and out so Mal could follow her breathing and after a minute or so Mal's breathing went back to normal

" now tell me everything that's happened " Evie said still holding Mal like she was going to be grabbed when Evie loosened her grip on her best friend

" I couldn't do it, E I couldn't take it " started Mal but already Mal went back to crying. Evie stopped before speaking again, chossing her words very carefully this time

" Calm down, and now you don't have to tell me the whole story not now anyway but please Mal tell me something so I can help you " Evie started as she looked into Mal's eyes before another tear fell out of Mal's eyes which Evie whipped away using her fingers. Mal smiled at her before she talked

" Me and Ben got in a f-f-fight over my m-m-magic and he got angry which made me angry and I stormed off, I wasn't thinking about anything other then how I needed to leave, I'm sorry I really am I don't deserve you or Jay or Carlos" before Mal could continue Evie placed her hand on Mal's cheek and moved her head so she was looking at her.

" Don't ever say anything like that please, we are the lucky ones and you have always protected us so when you need protecting we will help you " Evie said as she looked at Mal

" it still feels weird saying I need protecting by my friends " Mal said as she smiled up at Evie and sat up leaning against her arm .

" even if you didn't amit it I would still help " Evie said as she looked at Mal who had her head on her shoulders already half asleep. Evie sighed and strocked Mal's hair as Mal fell asleep. She picked up Mal and placed her in her bed and picked up Mal's blankets and place them over her. Evie wrapped Mal up all warm in her bed as she moved Mal's bangs from her eyes and went down stairs to tell the boys about what just happened but left out the crying part until Evie pulled Ben aside for a very interesting conversation between the two of them.


	2. The Flash Back to happier days

**Hi guys just a heads up that this chapter hasn't got a lot of drama in it and is manly a linking chapter so the next chapters make sense. Sorry, I will try and post at least once a week maybe twice bepending on school. Also I haven't spell checked this so please if you find a mistake, tell me in the comments so I can fix it in later chapters. Thanks and hope you like this chapter, it's more Mal and Evie then Mal and Ben but romance will come in to play I promise. Hope you enjoy**

" we need to talk now " said Evie as she grabbed Bens arm and pulled him over to an adandoned allyway where the boys couldn't hear them.

" now Ben, I am trying to stay calm but if you don't tell me what you said to Mal I will make sure Auradon doesn't have king. Got it " Evie threatened

" got it " Ben said scared as he had never seen Evie like this before

" now what did you say to her ?" Evie asked

" I got angry because she used magic on a picnic we were having and then she tried to spell me " Ben said as he looked towards the ground in shame.

" Picnic, did you just say picnic ?" Evie asked

" yea we had planned it for two weeks " Ben replied looking at Evie who now had tears running down her checks . She had to sit down on some old crates where she placed her head in her hands and started crying more and more. Ben walked over to Evie and placed his hand on her back and started to rub circles on it as a way to calm her down. **This always worked with Mal so maybe it will work with her best friend** thought Ben .

" what's wrong, did I say something ? " said Ben

" This was my fault, not Mal's don't blame her or break up , oh for the love of fairy godmother please don't break up because I stupidly told her to do it " Evie cried as she placed her head onto the kings shoulder.

" do what ?" Ben asked

" I helped her with the picnic and the spell " ammited a ashamed Evie as she started to cry more

" what ? You don't have magic " Ben said. Evie looked up at Ben and she signed. **I have to tell him at some point and if it helps Mal's then ok** Evie thought but aperently Ben thought she was taking to long

" Evie you can talk to me remember " said Ben

" Ok I kinda have some... magic " Evie said as Ben looked shocked

" WHAT !!! That's so cool Evie why did you not tell anyone "

" Ben shut up, Jay and Carlos don't know only Mal does "

" Why not "

" Mal found out by accident, it's not like I went up to her and made fire ball pop up in my hand I'm wasn't that dumb, she walked in with me reading a book and my clothes were flying around in the dorm room, we had just arrived and she went exploring and when she came back she screamed. " Evie explained, slightly laughing at the memory.

 ** _Flash back to the memory_**

Evie was lay on her bed reading a book about the fashion trends in auradon over the years and waving her free hand in the air, moving along with the faint music. Suddenly one of Evie's favourite dress, with long dark blue sleeves and a gold belt with her signature heart and crown on it, floated in the air and grabbed a hanger and put its self in her side of the walk in closet. Evie was amazied, she had completely forgot that she had magic because she barely used like Mal did, she had only used it once before to save her life. Evie was bleeding out so she used her magic to heal some of the major cuts that her mother had gave her in her stomach and legs. They only left small scars but that did bother Evie because she never wore anything to show the top of her legs or her stomach so she called herself lucky. Evie sat up and waved her hand again and again a top came up and packed its self away then Evie had and idea and started to point at certain peices of clothing as they flew around the room and into the closet. While Evie was still pointing at the clothes she lay back on her bed and continued to read her book. She was so entranced by the book she never head her best friend come through the door until she dropped her bag in the doorway. Evie looked up and saw Mal with her mouth making an O shape and Evie quickly made everything drop to the floor and jumped of the bed. Mal screamed and Evie quickly ran over to her friend and placed her hand over her mouth to make Mal stop screaming. Not removing her hand Evie pushed Mal into the room and closed, locked and double locked the door so people wouldn't come in.

" Mal, I will remove my hand when you promise me you won't scream, ok?" Evie said in a calm voice and Mal nodded so Evie removed her hand. She walked over to the bed and sat down while Mal was in the middle of the room still shocked about what she had just saw. Mal calmly turned around to face Evie who had went bright red.

" What did I just see, because I can swear that those clothes were floating just a minute ago " Mal said as she gestured towards the disorganised mess covering half of the room. Evie laughed nervously because she didn't want Mal to find out about a 18 year old secret by walking into it but she didn't think she had a choice because if she know Mal , and she did, Mal was never going to let her go away without telling her secret. Evie was knocked out of thought with the sound of Mal speaking

" I'm going insane, the daughter of Maleficant is going insane, E help me understand this please!!! " Mal shouted

" Your not going insane, M I just never told you " Evie spoke up

" Tell me what " Mal said looking confused as she sat next to Evie . Evie took Mal's hand and looked at it before Evie looked into Mal's eyes that were full of worry that her best friend had kept a secret.

" Mal I have ... Magic, please don't worry though it's not that strong, I don't think "

" YOU DONT THINK, E you have magic that you have barely used do you know how dangerous it is, its deadly,"

" What do you mean deadly?"

" Do you know why I never went one week without using my magic? It's because that could kill me, my power can get out of hand and my more evil side I guess can take over and there's no telling what that side of me can do, it's doesn't remember my friends, my family ,anyone ,to that side of me I only remember the bad things like how my mom hit me or how me and Jay used to fight and the bruises we would leave and my mind just thinks your starangers, easy to hurt and even easier to kill so for your and the others safety I made a promise to myself to always make sure that I never lose control. And I have kept that promise, but you have never used magic before and ... I'm scared, for you, Jay and Carlos"

" What about you aren't you scared for yourself?" Asked Evie. Mal looked at her her and pulled her next to her. Evie placed her head on Mal's shoulder and they sat in silence, until Mal answered Evie's question

" E, don't worry about me I'm fine, like always " Mal said hugging Evie tighter trying to reassure her.

" Come on M, don't lie your scared "

" No I'm not ! I'm Mal I don't get scared"

" Come on your scared of me aren't you "

" No your Evie you couldn't hurt a fly but yea I'm scared for your health "

" Then teach me magic M"

" Ok we start tomorrow "

" Great "

Evie fell asleep on Mal's shoulder and Mal made sure she was ok and had a peaceful sleep. They trained everyday until Mal left for the isle. But maybe all that training might pay of later, you will have to see...

 **I know it's evil leaving you on a cliff hanger but you will get another chapter before Thursday so keep calm and please don't kill me, then you'll never know the ending. I have some places I want to take this story but please tell me if you want more romance or fighting. Uma, Harry and Gil will all be in later chapters but the first couple is about building the suspense for the ending. If this goes well then I may also write some short story's in addition to this so if you have any ideas please tell me. Thanks for reading**


	3. The figure

Evie sat there, unable to control the tears coming from her eyes and dropping on to her lap, Ben sat next to Evie still rubbing circles on Evie's back. Once Evie calmed down and slowed her breathing back to normal, she looked up at Ben who faintly smiled at her and placed her head on his shoulder before Evie spoke again

" I need to talk to her and help her, say I'm sorry " spoke Evie in a quite tone which was barely audible.

" No you can't, I'll go " Ben said. Evie head shot up and looked at him through her tear filled eyes, shaking her head at Ben. Searching for the right words to tell Ben no until she found them.

" Ben I know you love her, and all of the VK's are thankful for that, you have made her so happy in everything she does, but she is angry. Not at you, no she loves you no matter what she tells herself or us, but she is angry at herself, for letting herself think she needs to change. Honestly I think I should of seen it before anyone else but I was too obsessed with my own stupid life to see that my sister needed help. So I think I should talk to her just to calm her down and let her talk about this from her side and then you can talk to her please. Ben this is the only time I am going to ask you to just let me calm her down" Said Evie and when she finished Ben stood up and hugged Evie and told her to get Mal back, Evie left Ben and walked up Mal, but she never thought she would see what she did.

Mal was dangling on the wall, being held by a mysterious, cloaked figure who's hands were wrapped around her neck, tightly. Mal's skin was paler then usual and her once pink lips were now a light shade of blue, her hands were scratching the figures hands to try and get the figure off of her and a look of horror was stretched across her face as the figures hand tightened. Evie screamed and the cloak turned around enough for the figure to see Evie but only enough for Evie to see the figures chin. The figure laughed and flew out of the window and running away on top of the roofs. Mal dropped to the floor gasping of air and Evie ran to her and caught Mal before she past out. Evie screamed again and the three boys ran up the stairs and stopped when they saw Mal's head resting in Evie's lap and Evie screaming for help and shaking Mal to wake up. Jay and Carlos gasped as Jay ran over to Evie and Mal and tried took pick up Mal but Evie hugged her tighter, not letting anyone near Mal. Carlos walked over to Evie and placed his hand on her shoulder and Evie loosened her grip on her sister to let Jay pick her up and place her limp body on her purple bed and grabbed a first aid kit out of the kitchen. Evie turned around and wrapped her arms around Carlos's neck, sobbing into his shoulders.

" I could of prevented this, if I stayed with her, we could of been at home by now" cried Evie into Carlos arms and Carlos tighten his arms around Evie's waist pulling her tighter into the hug." Thanks" Evie wispered.

" Hay, shhh Mal is strong and she can get through anything, this week alone has proved that so don't cry she will get through this" Carlos wishpered. Ben walked over to Mal and held her hand while Jay looked at her neck and pulse to make sure she was ok, Mal sturred in her sleep like daze and Ben looked scared. Jay said that Mal had a small consusion and her neck was going to bruise but apart from that she was ok and Jay walked out the room to give Mal and Ben some alone time. Ben sat on a chair next to Mal ,who was lay on her bed, holding her hand and rubbing it with his thumb to wake her up. Mal's eyes fluttered open and looked around before they landed on Ben who was smiling now, she was too tried to care that he was there, she just wanted to be home, her real home with Evie sewing at the sewing table and Jay and Carlos talking about tourney or R.O.A.R practise and Ben, her Ben lay next to her on the bed with Mal's head resting on his chest while Ben played with Mal's purple hair, looking at a history book they were both reading, that's all Mal wanted, to be with people she loved and who loved her. **I messed up. He loves me or he wouldn't be here and I messed it all up by coming back to this hell whole all because I couldn't handle a couple of short meetings or school work** Mal thought but she was broken out of her thoughts when Ben got up and kissed her cheek but Mal missed Ben so much that she moved her head so her lips touched his and she could feel herself blushing and Ben smiling. Ben pulled away and sat back down on his chair but Mal moved along the bed and looked at Ben who got up and sat down on the bed, his back leaning against the headboard, with Mal's head lay against his chest. Mal was drawing imaginary shapes onto his new clothes that made him look like he belonged on the isle ,but Mal new the real Ben. Ben looked down at Mal who was so consentared on the shapes she couldn't feel him looking down at her with loving eyes. Mal looked up at him and smiled before leaning up and capturing his lips with hers, and placing her hand on the back on his neck to deepen the kiss. Mal and Ben kissed for a few more seconds until the need for air overwhelm them and they pulled away to look through the open doorway to see Evie and Carlos on the sofa, with Evie lay in Carlos's arms and Carlos holding her and whispering things to make her laugh and forget about the scare she had just had, Evie and Carlos had always had a close bond, they were best friends even before Mal and Jay so they shared a lot of inside jokes and Mal could always rely on Carlos making Evie feel better when Mal couldn't. Jay was lay on the floor looking at the two on the sofa and once in a while joining in on the conversation, Jay laughed as Carlos began to tickle Evie. Evie always hated being tickled, she would scream in laughter and kick to try and get the attacker way, and Mal became to laugh as Carlos stopped tickling Evie and she turned around and slapped him on his arm, Carlos let out a loud oh and pretended to be hurt and look away. Evie grabbed Carlos's chin and calmly spoke

" C please never tickle me again or I will hit you and you won't be pretending then" Evie said as Jay laughed and Carlos looked scared. Before anyone could speak Mal got up and lend against the doorframe with Bens arms securely wrapped around her waist, when Mal spoke Evie, Carlos and Jay looked at her in amazement.

" Carlos you know Evie is ticklish and deadly" said Mal laughing at the shocked faces on her friends face.

" Hay I'm not deadly " Evie chuckled as she got up a hugged Mal.

" Yes you are or do I need to remind you of the 16 year old boy who said your makeup was ugly" Mal laughed as Evie pulled out of the hug.

" Hay that boy had it coming" Evie laughed

" Yea I guess he did, the poor boy was limping for a month after Evie was finished with him" Mal laughed

" So are you ok ? I came into see you but you were asleep" asked Evie as the boys got up and stood behind her with a considered look on all three of their faces.

" Guys I'm fine, now E can you get Dizzy here to help cover these bruises and Jay and Carlos can you look after Ben while we sort this out" Mal said gesturing to her face, Evie was the first to speak

" M are you feeling ok, did you just say you want a make over" Evie squealed the last part and placed her hand on Mal's forehead in a jokful manner making everyone laugh as Mal took her friends hand and held it

" E I'm fine now can you go and get Dizzy for me, I need to have a very important conversation with her and you" Mal said before turning her head to wink at Ben meaning he had to speak to Mal as well.

" Ok can Jay and Carlos come with me " Evie said as she winked at Mal, who was now blushing

" Why us " Carlos said before Evie nudged him and realisation set in and Jay and Carlos winked at Mal and Ben, as Mal tried to hide her face in Bens chest and Bens hand moved up to Mal's shoulders to hold her safely. Evie let out a loud " aww" and Carlos and Jay wanted to get out of the room quickly as Mal was still their sister no matter now old she gets. Jay and Carlos hugged Mal goodbye and walked out the room with Evie behind them leaving Mal and Ben alone in the doorway connecting the living room and bedroom.

 **This chapter is more romantic then the previous ones and this chapter is rather long but I had an idea and it plays out perfectly with my over all plan of this story. After I post this I will start to write the next chapter so it will ether be today or tomorrow depending on what happens. But anyway thanks for reading and your comments ( I read them all ) and please put in suggests.**


	4. The new family member

**This chapter is a lot of romance with Mal and Ben and contains a key part of information that may not seem important now but it will be in future chapters. I hope you like it.**

 **Mal's POV**

I was now in the arms of the man I love, and who loves me. I couldn't be happier and yet I was still scared that I wasn't good enough for Ben or auradon. I think he knows that deep inside I am not who he wants. I think Ben knows what I'm thinking about because as I look up at him, a large cheeky crin spreed across his face and before I can ask him what he is thinking about he lifts me in the air holding me like a groom might hold his bride, and looking into my eyes before kissing me. Me and Ben had kissed before yes but it was always me who started the kiss and it never lasted more then a second but this kiss was unlike any other we had shared. He kissed and held me like I was going to be ripped away the moment he let go, I could tell he was more scared of what had happened today then me. I know I hurt him coming back here but I thought I had to, so I blamed me coming back to the isle to Ben be so scared of losing me again. I smiled and Ben pulled away, still holding me tightly and looking at me with worry in his eyes. He seemed sad and it broke my heart to see him like this because of me.

" I love you so much please remember that" Ben said as he kissed my neck trying to reassure me on something I already new, since the day I meet him. Although I wouldn't of ammitted then but now I will.

" I know, I love you too" I say as I place my hand on his chin and make him look at me. I kiss him as away to reassure him and he starts walking but I am to busy to care where. Ben sits down on the sofa with me in his lap still holding me tightly against his chest as if I was going to jump out of his arms and run away. We continue to kiss until I hear a small noise tapping its foot in the doorway. I pull away from the kiss to see Evie stood there, her hand on the door as if stopping someone else to see me and Ben.

" now Romeo and Juliet will you please stop on that on the sofa, we sit there, and Dizzy is here so please keep it PG, now sort yourself out and then open the door to where I will try and explain to a 10 year old girl why she can't come in to a living room just yet. Understand me" Evie hissed before closing the door. Me and Ben looked at each other before bursting out laughing. I tried to get up but Ben pulled me back down onto his lap,

" Ben no, I am not traumatising a little girl, with this" I said gensturing to the both of this

" Fine but when we get back home, we are continuing this" Ben said while having a cheeky smile

" BEN!!! You may be more wicked then I thought" I said cheekest smile I could make.

" I try." Ben said with a smile before leaning in for a kiss but I stop him by placing my figure on his lips and shaking my head. I get up and leave the room, making my way over to the bedroom door and opening it slightly but before I did I turn around to face Ben, and with a simple smile I say " I love you " and he smiled back repeating a " I love you too". I close the door and fix my hair and take of my jacket so my arms can breath. I was wearing a purple tank top and my favourite purple jeans. My tight tank top stoped just inches above my jeans, only showing a little bit of my stomach but not enough for anyone to see my scars. It was a surprisingly hot day on the isle so my hair stuck to the back of my neck, so I decided to tie it up in a high ponytail. I walked out the room and headed over to the front door where I opened it to see Evie bend down I front of Dizzy fixing her hair and her dresses. I coughed to get their attention and Evie looked up at me and smilies before getting up. Dizzy squealed and ran into the room almost hitting me, and ran straight to Ben who was casually sat on the sofa not acting like much of a king. Ben looked scared as Dizzy ran up to him and hugged him tightly.

" Dizzy," Evie said as she laughed, hugged me and walked into the room

" Ben, she is 10 and innocent, she is not like me when I was 10" I say slightly laughing at his face. It took Ben a while but he soon hugged Dizzy back. They stopped hugging after a minute and I walked over to Ben and sat next to him on the sofa, with his arm wrapped around my waist. Evie raised an eyebrow at us, it was her special way of telling us " M, you can't do that now so please stop or I will sit in between you guys all night" so I gentle sat up so my shoulder was touching Bens and placed my hand on his. Evie's face softened as is trying to tell me that it was ok to hug now.Dizzy sat down on a chair infront of me and Ben and Evie sat next to me on the sofa, with a worried look on her face, Ben was equally worried but was convinced its was something ok.

" Dizzy you know I'm dating Ben correct? " I asked

" yea the whole isle knows about it" said Dizzy who started to get excited

" well when cotillion happens I will be a lady of the court and the girlfriend of the king" I say nudging Ben

" So to be a lady of the court, I have to make a change with someone's life and I want that change to be you, I want you to come to auradon for school and if everything goes ok I thought you could stay permanently." As soon as I finished Ben hugged me tightly and told me I did an amazing job and I should be proud and Evie and Dizzy both squealed with happiness.

" that's not all, now both of you please don't scream until the end" I say gesturing to Evie and Dizzy, who nodded in agreement and were twitching in their sits

"now Dizzy this is only if Evie is ok with this but I thought Evie considering you two are like family and it is around four months until Evie's 18th birthday that when the day arrives that Evie becomes your real family" I say looking at my confused friends as I try and hold my laughter in.

" what " asked Evie still confused

" ok maybe I should rephrase, so there is a law that anyone under the age of 16 can't be without a parent or guardian but when you come to auradon you will live with me on the week days and I can ask if Belle and Adam can look after you on the weekends so that law doesn't count in the first fourth months of school but Evie's birthday is the week before the holidays so it lines up perfectly with what I have planned" I say

" what are you planning M " Evie asked me

" Dizzy I missed you birthday because it was four days ago and I'm so sorry for that so I got you a gift" I say and I watch as her eyes widen and I smile at her as I sit up so Bens arms are no longer around my waist.

" what is it " she asked me and I raise my hands towards Evie who looked at me in shock.

" M what are you doing ?" She asked me

" If you say yes then I want you to become Evie's legal daughter, and Evie will be your guardian" I said as Dizzy and Evie and even Ben looked shocked

" M what !?" Evie asked me before she hugged me tightly

" E I have wanted to do this forever and it seemed the best timing so will you both say yes ?" I ask as Dizzy shots forward and hugs me and Ben tightly and then walks over to Evie.

" Evie can you please say yes" asked Dizzy who was looking at the floor

" of course I will Dizz" said Evie as she pulled Dizzy onto the sofa and hugged the little girl tightly before mouthing the words thank you M to me over Dizzy's shoulders. Ben pulled me back into my hug and as I lent against him I could feel him kissing my head softy. I look up at him as he places a kiss on my lips. I smile and we all spend hours talking and chatting until Jay and Carlos got home from their search of the cloaked man. My heart sank when they told me they didn't find anything but I thought that it was ok as we were all going to leave tomorrow anyway. We talked until 10:00pm and then Evie said that Dizzy may need to get home

" Evie I'm a big girl I can stay up late" Dizzy wined as Evie was walking around the room collecting Dizzy's jacket and shoes and her own jacket and shoes before standing infront of the door

" Dizzy tremain now you may be 10 but you are still young now go on and get your jacket on before I ground you for the first week of auradon, its late you need your sleep we will be leaving at 9 and I know you will barely sleep tonight so you will sleep in the morning, making you ill" Evie finished and we all long at her and laugh

" E calm down you aren't her mum yet" I laugh

" I know that but I am still her friend and she needs sleep come on M back me up " Evie wined

" Dizz come on do as E says and then she will be a good mood" I say as Evie let's put a frustrated sigh

" if that gets her to put her jacket on then I will go with it " said Evie.

" let jay take you as well for safety" I say looking at Jay who was already getting his jacket on.

The girls and Jay leave and me, Ben and Carlos to talk and after half an hour Jay and Evie come back and sit on the sofa. Evie fell asleep after an hour on Jays shoulders and he takes her to her room and then falls asleep in his bed leaving me, Ben and Carlos alone, but not for long, Carlos says goodnight and then goes to his room leaving me and Ben alone cuddling on the sofa. Ben has his arm around my waist and his free hand was playing with my hair. He always new how to calm me down or make me happy and this was a time I need to be happy as I was starting to get homesick. I turn around to face Ben and put my legs ,that were dangling over the side of the sofa, over his legs and my back leaning against the arm of the sofa. He looks at me with love in his eyes as he kisses me and I know that my life is going to be ok. We continue to kiss for 10 minutes until ben put his arm under my legs and picks me up and carrys me to my bed not breaking the kiss. We break apart and smile and I trace his lips with my fingers.

" Ben I'm tried can we please sleep my legs hurt" I ask and he looks down at me and smiles. He picks me up and spins me around and then places me on the ground after I squeal. I walk into my closet and put some pjs on and walk out to find Ben in some shorts, lay on my bed with his head resting on the pillow. I walk over and get onto the bed and place my head on his chest and we both fall asleep, with him playing with my hair and me listening to his heart beat. I love him so much and I can't wait to go home.

 **No ones POV**

Little did Mal know that someone was watching as Mal drifted of to sleep and it wasn't going to let Mal live happily ever after, because if it didn't no one would.

 **I'm sorry for leaving you on a cliffhanger again but I love this chapter, it is honestly one of my favourites at I have thought about, and I promise there will be another one by Wednesday at the lastest or by tomorrow afternoon. But anyway bye and thanks for reading.**


	5. The time that everything went wrong

Mal's POV 

I woke up with bens arm wrapped around my waist and his head snuggled into my neck. I groan in pain as I move my neck that is still slightly bruised, but Ben starts to kiss my neck so after a second I turn around to face him as he smiles.

" morning princess" he says which makes me giggle.

" how long have you been up-my king" I ask as I kiss him before saying " my king". I remember all the days I woke up in the arms of the person I love. We didn't have to go on fancy dates so sometimes he would come around when Evie was with Doug and we would watch a movie and fall asleep. When Evie would come home and saw me and Ben lay together asleep, she went to Doug and slept in his room so we could be in private.

" not long my queen" Ben replys as he kisses my nose

" oh so I'm a queen now, I thought I was a princess" I say as I pretend to be upset and turn around so I have my back to him. He leans on his hands and places a kiss on my neck but he needed to try harder then that so I just shoved him away playfully. He then rolled me over and sat on me and when I tried to move him off he took my hands and pined them on the top of the bed.

" now will you listen" he said as he put his finger under my chin so I had to look at him.

" no" I say like a child and I pout,

" fine then" he says as he starts to kiss my collarbone.

" Ben please" I say as he moves up onto my neck

" Ben " I say but he just continues up to my jawline

" yea " he said In between kissing my jawline

" my friends are in the other room" I say

" no their out looking for things to bring home" he says as he continues to kiss my jawline.

" I'm still angry " I say as he starts to kiss my nose and then outlining my lips with his finger

" really " he says as he kisses me on my lips. He falls onto me so im sunken on the bed and he gently put his hands on my hips before I depen the kiss. We kiss for what seems like hours but my lungs started to burn so I had to pull him away

" Ben I can't right now but as soon as we get home me and you can go on a real date, ok my king" I say as I gesture for him to look down at my bruisesed neck. He signs and lays next to me holding his head in his hand with his elbow dug into the bed. I lie on my side and place my head in the crack of his arm which draped around my neck to hold me tighter.

" I love you so much" he says as he kisses my head

" I love you too" I say as we both start to fall asleep.

———— **Later in the afternoon, Evie,Jay and Carlos came back to find Mal and Ben slepping so ————**

 **————they went to help Dizzy pack, but did they get there, before something went wrong. ————**

 **Third person POV**

Mal and Ben were still sleeping on their bed, with Mal hugging Ben tightly. The strange figure climbed the rickety old stair case and stopped when it saw the sight. His best friend cuddled up with some king, loooking so happy, he wanted her to be happy of course but, he knew Mal the real one and knew that she couldn't be that happy to come back to the isle.He walked over and moved Mal's bangs making Mal release her hands around the king and rolled over so he back was to the king. He slightly smiled and gently picked her up like a bride. He slowly walked back to the living room and placed her on the sofa. He wrote a note and placed it on the table, and picked a sleeping Mal up and carefully walked down the stairs too meet his waiting friends

" are you sure we should do this " one of the two says, as the figure gives Mal to him

" me and her may not be the best of friends, but we were friends once and I don't want her getting hurt because she isn't being herself " the girl says as she moves Mal's bangs out of her face, making her snuggle into the person holding her.

" Gil whatever you do don't drop her " the figure says

" I'm sorry Uma moved her hair " Gil said as Uma slapped his arm

" Harry, let's go before she wakes up " Uma says as she flips her turquoise braided hair and struts forward. The boys follow as they walk to their part of the isle

 **Hay sorry it's a short story and late but I have been really busy this week, move than expected, but please comment what you think Uma,Harry and Gil are up too. I will post more soon**


	6. The reunited friends

**Evie's POV**

Me and the boys came home from Dizzy's when it was getting dark so we could get our things together. We entered the house and when we saw that no one was there, the boys slowly put down there things as I make my way to the bedroom. The door was slightly closed so as I sneak in, I have to be very quite. Jay is behind me and Carlos is in the kitchen grading a small knife, Jay places his hand on my shoulder and gently pulls me behind him but I quickly put my leg infront of his to stop him and quickly move the rest of my body so I'm infront of him again. I open the door to see Ben lay on Mal's bed, snuggled up to a purple pillow and lightly snoring. I sign and turn to Jay who hasn't seen Ben yet and nodded. Jays angry face, softened and he walked to tell Carlos that everything was ok. I walked into the room and sit on to the bed. I strock Bens check as he moans

" Ben wake up " I whisper in a singsong voice

" Mal, five more minutes " Ben moans as he turns around so his back is facing me. I strock his hair as I whisper

" Ben it's Evie, I need you to wake up " I say and he turns around again. He gives me a smile as he rudders his eyes. I smile again and get up and pass him a new set of clothes I packed

" please get dresses we are leaving soon" I say as I walk out the door

" Evie " Ben says as I am about to leave but I turn around to talk to him

" yea " I reply

" where's Mal ?" He asks as I look at him confused

" she was with you Ben" I say as a look of horror comes across his face

" no we fall asleep two hours ago " he says looking at his watch. I get up and start pacing up and down the room. Jay and Carlos walk in and Jay places his hands on my shoulders and guides me to the sofa. I sit down and place my head in my hands and start to cry, Jay pulls me into a hug as I cry and smooths my hair to calm me down. He starts humming a melody that always calms me down as I start calming back down and Ben walks through the door and sits next to me and Carlos lent against the doorframe

" She's gone, Jay she's really gone and I wasn't here to stop her again, what kind of best friend am I if I am not there for Mal when she needs me " I cried not caring about my makeup or the glow of gold in my eyes until Jay put his finger under my chin and made me look at him, shock covered his face

" Evie y-your eyes are gold" Jay stutters. I pull away and start panicking looking all around the room until everything goes black.

 **Jays POV**

I watch as Evie's eyes turn a gold colour and as she starts shaking, looking at everyone in the room until she falls. She falls forwards and I catch her just before she hits the ground. Carlos runs into the kitchen for some wet cloth and Ben looks pale too

" don't you faint too" I warn Ben as I pick up Evie and place her on Mal's bed. She stays still apart from the slow rise and fall of her chest, so I know she's alive atleast so I sign in relieve. Carlos runs in a places the wet cloth on Evie's head. Carlos and Evie have always had a special bond they are like brother and sister, and of course me and Mal are their siblings as well but we were always the older siblings, the ones who protected them. Mal was the leader so she protected all of us but because me and Mal are the same age and we have the same strength we look after Evie and Carlos. The both of them can fight and protect themselves yes but Evie and Carlos make the plans because they are smarter then me and Mal but I would never amit that out loud. Evie and Carlos have something incredible in common they both have panic attacks. I was going to ask Ben about Evie fainting but when I opened my mouth, Evie started to , now you will call me crazy , be she started to float ?!?.

 **Mal's POV**

I woke up in a strange room I almost remember but I put it down to how I owned almost all the isle so I went everywhere stealing or fighting. I woke up on a nice warm and comfortable bed, with feathered pillows and two blankets so I know this is a unused room. I look around as I sat up and noticed a person in the dark corner of the room. I pull out the little pocket knife and walk to the person in the corner and to my surprise it's Uma. I walk up to her a place her knife just before her neck. She woke up and looked at me startled then grinned devilishly

" Shrimpy, now tell me why I'm here " I tell her moving the knife closer to her neck with every word. Before she could respond a pair of gently hands were placed on my shoulders. I flipped the person over my shoulders and placed my heeled boot on his chest and I lent down so the pocket knife was resting fermly on his neck. Uma stood up quickly but I tore my eyes away from my attacker and motioned for her to sit back down. Uma obeyed and sat back down and as I look back down to my attack, I notice a evil glint in his eyes that only belonged to

" Harry ? " and he smirked

" hello love " he smiled. I removed my heel and he got up and he stood next to Uma

" what in the name of fairy godmother do you two want " I say crossing my arms

" Mal your not happy, are you " Uma says sitting up and walking towards me

" shrimpy when did you start caring about me " I say smugly

" when you became my friend " she says and I soften my face and turn my head to the side

" what ?" I ask and she walks to me and places her hand on mine and walks over to the bed. I follow her and sit down and Harry sits in the sit in the corner. Uma has her face lowered, pointing to the floor

" now why do you care if I'm happy or not ?" I ask and she smilies slightly before looking up at me, tears in her blue eyes.

" because you were my best friend and I know I should hate you for leaving me here in this dumb " she starts and gestures to the room around us." But I just don't, I know you hate me for that trick I pulled and I get that I would hate me too but I never stoped being your friend. I would ask people to look out for you so I new you were ok and safe and when Evie,Jay and Carlos came into the picture I made sure they were ok to. But when you moved to Auradon I couldn't do that anymore so I made sure that I used my necklace everyday to see what your life is like. " she explained by holding the seashell necklace that was wrapped around her neck

" I don't believe you, tell me something then " I say thinking she is lying so she thought then spoke

" you love strawberries so much that on your second date with Ben it was a movie night and you held onto the strawberries in your arms before eating them all. Once you were done you had strawberry juice all over your mouth and so Ben whipped it off for you then you had your second kiss. The only thing your were thinking was how in love you were with him and that you didn't want to hurt him. " she finished and to say I was shocked was a understatement. She giggled and my shocked expression before I spoke

" so why bring me here to this hell of a room" I say and Uma giggles again but Harry looks hurt

" Mal this hell of room as you put it is actually Harry's room " Uma laughs and and I go bright red. Me and Harry were best friends, now most of you are thinging that me and Harry must of dated but we didn't I don't like him like that he is like my older brother. I get up and sit in his lap and play with his hair.

" thanks for the compliment " he says and I giggle

" your welcome " I say as I get up and start walking around the room looking at all the trinkets and photos. One was him and Uma fighting when they were 10 and one with me and him, he had just told a joke and I was laughing and he was lent against a doorframe. I pick it up and look at it before Uma speaks up

" you and him were best friends when you were young" she says as I turn to her with tears in my eyes

" we would dance across the room, like we were royal when we were young" I said and the memories came flooding back until I felt a pair on hands in mine and we got into the waltz position. I laughed as he bowed and I curstyed and we started dancing across the room. Uma laughted at us as we finished and bowed and crusted again. I flopped onto the bed, laughting and remembering the good times us three used to have. Harry sat in his chair and we all sat in happy silence until something came into my mind

" hay how did I get here, do the others know I'm gone " I ask and they both look down in shame

" we wanted to talk to you alone and we knew that if we told anyone of your friends they would think we kidnapped you so we took you thinking it would only be a hour but Harry over here couldn't wake you up, so he left to get blankets and keep you warm because I believe he said " if she gets a cold I would never forgive myself and Jay,Carlos and Evie would kill me" he sounded very scared for you " Uma chuckled and I looked at Harry who was now blushing because he was embarrassed . I got up and sat in his lap and took off his pirate hat and placed it toppsy tuvey on my head. I whispered a thank you but was still sat in his lap with my arms losely wrapped around his neck.

" I think it's good that my older brother figure cares about me, I hope you know I'm truly thankful for both of you looking after me " I say . " Now what are we going to do when Evie,Jay,Carlos and Ben find me " I say

" Mal you aren't going home until I have a very long conversation with prince sorry king Ben" Uma says and I laugh

" Uma your like my sister but you don't have to do that " I say and I look at Harry " or you " i say to him

" Mal your odiously not happy or you wouldn't of came here so I am talking to him" Uma says as she gets up and grads her jacket. Harry gets up and places me on the ground and throws me my purple jacket. He reaches for his hat but I move out of the way and run to the other side of the room

" Mal " Harry warns me

" Harry " I say mimicking his posture and facely expression

" come on Mal please act your age " Harry says and I pretended to be hurt by the comment and pout

" Mal you know he can't say no to the puppy dog eyes and the baby face" Uma says and I smile

" Uma I know it's why I'm doing it " I say and she laughs

" Harry just let it go, you aren't getting that hat back " Uma says but Harry is determined. He runs to me and I doge, going under his arms and spinning on my heels I turn to face him. He turns around and runs at me and I throw the hat to Uma. Me and Uma are shorter than Harry but we love playing piggy in the middle. We played for a couple of minutes until Harry had enough so when I had the hat he picked me up so I sat on his shoulders and spin me around. I screamed until I released I'm not falling and started laughing. He stopped spinning me but he didn't put me down so I placed the hat on my head and rested my elbow on his head and laughed

" I love the view from up here " I say and Uma laughs

" Harry don't drop her please " Uma says and Harry pretends to drop me, but just because he pretended to drop me doesn't mean it wasn't scary. So being the mature teenager I am... I SCREAM and Harry gets the hit and gently places me on the floor. I playfully slap his arm once I was on the ground and we all get our stuff together and we planned on going around the town because I thought that Ben would still be asleep and Evie,Jay and Carlos would still be with Dizzy. We go to leave but we wait so Uma can check on my friends. She whispers something to the seashell and a mirror like vision appears showing us what is happening with my friends.

 **What did Uma,Harry and Mal see and is Evie,Jay and Carlos ok? There will be a new chapter soon. In this story Mal and Harry did not date so Ben is her first boyfriend. Please leave comments about what you want to happen.**


	7. The plan for going home

**Mal's POV**

What I saw shocked me so much I had to double look at it. Jay was stood Infront of my bed looking at something, I couldn't see what and Ben and Carlos both looked shocked and were also starting at something

" where's E " I ask to Uma and she whispers to the shell again so it spins around and shows Evie floating ? Wait what, my best friend is floating in the air and Uma and Harry are just as shocked as me and I'm the only one who knows that Evie has magic !!

" did I miss something " Uma asked but I didn't want to explain this without Evie with me so I have to make a plan.

" we need to go now " I say as I exit the room. Uma and Harry follow me and we all walk , well I run, to my old hangout. When we get there we climbed the stairs and ran into the living room. Harry and Uma stop at the door linking the living room and my room but I run passed them to see Ben,Jay and Carlos scared to touch Evie who is floating so high she is almost touching the ceiling. I run to Carlos, Jay and Ben and quickly hug them hello and then focused on Evie. Evie's magic was always more powerful than me because she got it from her dad so it's good-ish magic, mine is from my mom so mine is more evil and as everyone know " the strength of evil is good as non, which stands before four heats as one" meaning because Evie got her magic from her mum, and Dad (but mainly dad ) that's three peoples magic in one but with mine it's only two so she beats me. Unless ...

" Uma help me " I shout to her and she freezes as everyone looks at her

" Mal I can't ... I -I " she stutters

" Uma you said you cared about us all now I promise on everything good and beautiful that if you help me do this you and Harry and Gil are coming to Auradon with us, please Evie could die " I say on the verge of tears.

" what Mal how could she die " Jay ask as Carlos and Ben jump up now scared even more

" I will explain latter now Carlos get a blanket and a damp cloth and Jay and Harry get ready because if she falls to much she could fall of the bed. How Ben just get some warm clothes because this spell will make her cold " I explain and they do as I say. Uma stands next to me at the end of the bed and we preform the spell. Uma is struggling and so am I because Evie if fighting us but she suddenly releases and falls. Uma holds onto the end of the bed to stay up and I stumble back and fall down the wall, breathing heavily. I watch as Evie slowly sits up and Carlos gives her the damp cloth. Ben walks in and hands her the blankets and looks around the room. He looks at Harry and Harry nods at me, I put my hand on my head with it resting on my knees. He runs over to me and makes me look at him as he checks if I'm ok. I place my hand on his check and he holds it there

" I'm ok Ben, really " I say and he relaxes

" are you sure " he asks but Harry buts In

" Mate I would never let anything happen to her, you on the other hand need to look after her " Harry warns pointing at me and I blush, Ben gets up and shakes Harry's hand and thanks him but Umas next

" Hay kingey, I need a word " she says as I get up and slowly walk to Ben and wrap a arm around him

" Uma " I warn as she stands infront of me and Ben

" Mal come on, just five minutes " she pleads and I look up to Ben and kiss him before turning to Uma

" He comes back with all limbs and body parts please, " I ask and she nods.

" ok then you guys can talk in Evie's room just through that door " I tell them as i point to the blue door in the corner of the room. Ben gulps and kisses my head before him and Uma walk into Evie's room. I don't hear anything so it must be going well so far. Harry then sneaks up next to me and taps my shoulder. I go on my tip toes and hug him and he has to hold onto me. Me and Harry are the only ones in the room ( and Evie ) because Jay and Carlos went into the living room to calm down. Me and Harry sit down with me on his lap and him in a chair next to Evie who is sleeping.

" so hows Auradon " he asks as I wrap my arms around his neck and snuggle into his shoulders. Harry is two years older than me so we always used to cuddle when I was upset or when he needed to talk.

" good " I reply and he holds me tighter so I start to close my eyes

" Do you love him ?" He asks me

" yea I do " I reply still not opening my eyes " he treats me like a princess and the only reason I came back here was because I felt like I had to change for him but I didn't and I know that now " I say starting to fall asleep. He strocks my hair and within minutes I'm asleep in my best friends arms.

 **Harry's POV**

Mal was asleep so I gently pick her up and walk into the living room with her and see Jay and Carlos lay on the sofa talking about school or something, I'm to concentrated on not waking Mal

" Hay guys, where do you want me to put Mal she is asleep and Evie is in her bed and Ben and Uma is in Evie's room " I whisper and they both look at each other. Jay walks over to me and I try to give him Mal but she holds onto my jacket tighter so Jay just leads me to his and Carlos's shared room. I place Mal onto Jays bed because that was the closest and Jay puts some blankets on Mal. We walk out of the room and I sit in a chair as Carlos and Jay sit back down on the sofa.

" Harry, I don't really want to know this but did you take Mal " Jay asks and I nod

" me and Uma heard that Mal had changed a lot and so we thought she wasn't happy. So when she came here we thought that we should talk to her. Guys she wasn't herself that's why we did it. We didn't want to scare you but she was asleep and I didn't want to wake her so she slept for two hours then we talked. " I explained

" ok but why do you want to know about her " Carlos asks and I sit back down into the chair

" when her and Uma were friends we were like brother and sister, she was my family and family protected each other. But when she had a falling out with Uma we got separated but we looked out for her and you guys " I said

" us " Carlos questions and I nodded

" when you three came into her life we looked after you guys too, and when you went to Auradon we still watched out for you guys, Uma necklace let her see everything and she would tell me if something was wrong " I explained but by the face on Jay I knew he didn't believe me

" well done on the R.O.A.R practice thing, that Lonnie girl really like you " I say and Carlos burst out laughing and Jay goes red but try's to hide it

" Harry your the best " Carlos says between fits of laughter

" oh and that Jane girl seems nice " I say and Carlos I instantly stops laughing and Jay starts

 **Umas POV**

Ben and I walk into Evie's room ,that is covered in my favourite colour blue, and I close the door

" ok now beasty, I know that Mal loves you but do you love her " I say as I sit on Evie's bed. After the question he relaxes and sits infront of me on the bed. He takes my hand in his and looks at me

" Uma I love Mal " he says and I nod

" ok then why did she change for you or better yet why didn't you stop her " I ask and he looks down at the floor

" I just, I don't know, I should of but I didn't " he ammits

" Ben, Mal loves you and that is hard for her to ammit. She was my best friend and for me to see her so upset that she came back to the isle of all places breaks me because to me she is my sister. Now you tell me why it breaks me seeing her like that " I say and he looks up at me

" because you love her like a sister " he says

" yea and so does Evie , Jay and Carlos and even Harry so it hurts us to see her like that. You love her we know but sometimes love can make you blind take me and h- never mind but just please make sure you take the time of day to look at her and just smile to know that is the girl you fall in love with not some prissy pink princess she is pretending to be " I say as I feel the tears coming.

" Uma I now he loves me " I hear someone say and I look to see Mal lent on the doorframe. She walks over and sits on Bens lap and places her arms around his neck and kisses his check. She then looks at me and smiles

" Benny can you give me and Uma a minute" she says looking back at Ben. He smiles and leaves the room after kissing Mal goodbye and hugging me. We sit in comfortable silence until Mal speaks

 **Mal's POV**

I looked up at Uma and saw that she was playing with one of her rings on her hand ,that was gently resting in her lap. I gently place my hand on hers and she looks up at me, tears filling her ocean blue eyes. I wipe away one of her tears and she smiles

"Uma what's wrong?" I ask and she just shakes her head

"It's nothing, really" She try's to tell me but I know she is lying

"Uma its not, what's wrong?" I ask again, my voice more stern

"It's...Him?" She tells me. She starts crying more and more so I pull her into a side hug with her head resting on my shoulders, still crying. We stay there for a minute until she lifts her head and looks at me, the tears staining her rosey checks like watercolours on white paper.

"I just don't know now you did it, or still do" she tells me and I laugh slightly knowing what she meant

"You mean now me and Ben made it work even though I changed and came back here, you mean that kind of 'I don't know you did it'?" I ask her and she smiles

"Yes well you seemed so happy" she says and I laugh at how uneasy Uma must be feeling

"I was trust me, the past two months have been amazing but I wasn't myself, you on the other hand have and if he couldnt see that then I would be telling you that he wasn't the one but he can. Uma that pirate loves you more than his hook, his hair, his anything. He loves you and maybe you are the one who needs my help in this" I say and she looks at me in confusion

"What ?" She asks me

"He loves you, he has said that to me, and everyone who asks him about you but with you, it's different. Your like me in this area. The people over at Auradon call it love but over here its weakness. You just need to find out if you want Harry in your life because you love him or because you want a trustworthy sidekick " I say and I turn to look at her. She is looking through Evie's window at the Evil Queens Castle on the other side of the island.

Evie loved her mother, and so she got the room with a view of her old home when we decided to move in. She would spend countless hours a day looking out that window and imaginering her life without me or Jay or Carlos by her side. She would sometimes cry looking out of the window at her mothers castle and when I would walk into the room because she missed a stealing trip or she missed a fight with one of my enemy's she would always just fall onto me when I sat down , her head resting in my lap and she cried more the moment I strocked her hair telling her everything would be alright. I sometimes didn't believe that everything would be alright or that Evie would go through another day of insults without ending the pain, however she may try to stop the pain it was always going to scare me, or that Carlos wouldn't get through another day of punishments without doing the same and Jay, I thought he would do something stupid when his dad would yell at him. It would always cross my mind when the boys would come home bruised or when Evie would come home with more foundation on then when she left. Uma was being more distant like Evie, Jay and Carlos were and like how I was being in those two months before I came to the isle again. Uma loved Harry we all know this but Uma doesn't want to ammit it and I know what I did in Umas situation and I'm scared she will do the same.

"You know that's Castle is one of the most beautiful things on this island" I say and she signs

"I was wondering when a Mal life lesson was coming " she says and I laugh

"But to some people it's the ugliest, most horrible place on the planet. That castle reminds me of you" I say and she looks at me hurt

"Gee thanks " she sarcastically says and I playfully hudge her

"Not like that, but to some people you can be difficult but to people like me or Evie or ,let's just cut to the chase, Harry your acutely a nice person. So just let some of your boarders down for the people you love and who love you. Now I'm not expecting you to go out there and let all of your boarders down and be BFF's with everyone because no one could do that that quickly with the history we have but try and express your emotions. I didn't and that just made me more angry and upset and the world" I start and she gets up and walks over to the window, leaning over it to see the people walking down the street.

"Most of these people won't even get the chance to fall in love. Me and you did, so cherish it because falling in love is the best feeling in the world, no magic could ever duplicate it." I finish walking next to her.

"You know, your really smart for a umpa lumpa" She says using my old nickname made because of my height.

"Yea so are you shrimpy" I say playfully hitting her arm with my elbow.

"Haha very funny" she says and I smile. We kept talking and then we decided to talk in the living room. I open the door and see two boys fall onto the ground, looking startled. Evie,Jay and Carlos start hystericaly laughing in the living room. The two boys, who were on the floor, looked up at me as Uma made her way next to me. I hadn't even noticed that my hands were balled up in fists or that my face was red with anger, guess it was just my isle side. Uma placed her hand on my shoulder and whispered for me to relax, so I went back to my normal skin colour and un-balled my fists. Uma took her hand off of my shoulder and placed it on her hip and I placed my hand on my hips, us both doing the so called 'Evie pose'.

"Oh no, the Evie pose" Ben muttered to Harry and he snickered

"You have ten seconds to tell me why you were spying on us before I kick your face" I say walking over so I'm next to Ben and kicking his side gently, making him turn over and I place my boot on his stomach. I lean down so my body is leaning on my boot and I look up to see Uma doing the same to Harry.

"So talk" I command and the boys look at each other

"We heard crying " Ben says and I smile

"Uma was the one "I start but am interrupted Uma

"What she means to say is, that she hit her toe on the bed and **she** started crying" Uma says putting emphasis on **she** and the boys look at me and Uma mouths 'please' and I sign

"Exactly, now I'm hungry Benny-boo can you make me some food in the kitchen?" I ask making a innocent face and pouting and even ,for more affect, made puppy dog eyes at Ben and he gives in and nods.

"Oh is Benny-boo weak" Harry asks and I look at Uma. Uma leans down and whispers something in his ear and he looks at her hurt. She pulls an eyebrow up at him and he muffles a apology

"Sorry what ?" Ben asks and I laugh

"Really dude, now you choice to go deaf ?" He asks looking at Ben

"Oh I quess me and the gang have rubbed of haven't we. Your acting like a true VK" I compliment

"Thank you" he says leaning up and kissing me. He then pulls away and looks at Harry.

"What did you say ?" Ben asks him and he signs

"Sorry for the nickname " Harry apologies and then looks back at Uma

"Is that ok?" Harry asked Uma and she leans down and kisses him.

"Perfect" she says kissing him again. I look back at Ben and kisses him

"What was that for ?" He ask me

"Just a reminder ...that I want a sandwich with cheese" I say grinning

"Your lucky I love you " he says getting up and kissing me and making his way to the kitchen

"Love you too" I call after him. I smile and turn around to see Harry and Uma stood there with Harry's arm around Uma waist.

"Harry I'm hungry can you make something ?" Uma asks him and he leans down and kisses her before leaving the room. Me and Uma walk into the living room and sit down on the sofa. Me and Uma talk to Evie, Jay and Carlos while the boys make me and Uma some food. Evie is lay with her back lay against the arm of the sofa, with her legs resting on along Jays lap and her feet resting in Carlos's lap. Me and Uma sit on the sofa opposite them, on opposite ends so both of our boyfriends cane sit in the middle next to us.

"So what's up with you and Harry" Evie asked Uma and she goes bright red

"Well he is my boyfriend" she says and Evie slightly squeals and Jay holds his eyes

"Sorry" Evie says rubbing Jays ear with her hand. "So how did it happen?" She asks after her little outbreak

"Well he took me to a abandoned cave near the cost with a table for two and we ate the best food I have ever tasted and then he asked me when I was eating and I almost chocked." She said laughing at the memory

"Yea Harry always had the best timing" I say as Harry and Ben walk out of the kitchen

"What's about me?" Harry asked as he handed Uma her food and sits down next to her on the sofa. Uma moves her legs so they are resting along Harry's lap as she eats her sandwich. Ben walks out the kitchen and walks over to me and sits down next to me. As soon as he sits down, he picks me up and places me on his lap. He gives me my plate and he moves my legs so they are resting along his lap and he starts drawing shapes on my bare legs with his finger.

"Nothing" Uma says answering Harry's previous question

"So Uma what did you tell Harry to make him apologise for calling Ben my nickname for him " I ask messing Bens hair with my hand and I smile and lean in to kiss him. We kiss and I lean back down to look at Uma

"I said that if he didn't apologise then I wouldn't kiss him for a year, and he could have that could he" Uma says cupping Harry's face and kissing him

"Well done, Uma, you already have him wrapped around your little finger. Feels good doesn't it" I say leaning my head into Bens neck and kissing it gently, making Ben wrap his arms tighter around my waist.

"You don't have me wrapped around you little finger" Ben says making me look up at him but before i could speak Evie butted in, drinking her fresh cup of coffee, Carlos had just got her.

"Really Ben, because Mal asks you to do something and you practically jump out of your seat to do it. But she is right it is an amazing feeling when you know that your boyfriend doesn't want you to move if your comfortable on the sofa" she starts taking a sip out of her cup " and Harry you too. I mean no one tells you what to do apart from Uma, your just as bad as Ben" she finished, putting down her cup and picking up a magazine and flicking through it and then placing it back down. Me and Uma giggle as the boys go red. I put my arms around Bens neck and kiss his check before placing my head in the crock of his neck. Uma does the same and we all start talking again until I ask a question

"So when are we going home ?" I ask

"Well how about in a hour ?" Ben says and I nod

"Yea, gives me, Uma, Harry, Gil and Ben time to pack" I say and Harry and Uma look confused

" what ?" Uma asked and I sit up to look up at them, my arms still around Ben

"Your coming too, only if you want to but Uma you saved Evie from death and Harry your one of my best friends and Gil is hilarious so why should you stay here. It gives us a cover up for why Ben was here and me, Evie and Ben have been wanting to invite more villain kids to Auradon. So it's perfect. You guys would love it" I say and Harry looks at Uma.

"What do you want to do love?" Harry asked and Uma smiles

"I want to go and spend some more time with you guys" she says gesturing to all of us.

"Ok well can you guys get Gil and I'll get Dizzy and we meet here in an hour." I say and we all disperse to pack our things, ready to go home to Auradon. My real home with my real family back together again.

 **Sorry it took long to post but things have got really busy but there should be enough chapter soon. In England it is 2:30am and I should be asleep but I had an idea so I wrote it down and now I'm going to pass out from being tried so sorry if there is any grammar, spelling or punctuation mistakes. I'm tried but any ideas for the next couple of chapters would be amazing, I have an overall plan but any mini stories will be great. Also I'm thinking of starting a Descendants shorts story so if you have any ideas please comment them. Thanks for reading .**


	8. Mother and Daughter talking

**Uma's POV**

Walking, to my mums fish and chip shop, I rest my hand protectly on my sword that was on my hip. Pushing both of the cowboy style doors open I see my crew talking around my throne, that was still at the end of the long dinning table. Instantly, they all stop talking and look at me, I nod my head at the second mate and they begin to quietly talk again. I walk into the kitchen to see my mother sat at the island in the middle of the room, she looked at me and instantly scoffed but I didn't expect anything less

"Hello to you too mother" I say walking over to the small closet in the far wall of the kitchen and opening the door. I place some of my things in my bag before I hear my mother get up off of her seat and lean on the island

"And where are you going" she asks and I stand up and face her placing my hand on chest

"Aw I didn't know you cared" I faked

"Cut it now where are you going " she says sounding more serious

"Auradon" I murmur

"What" she says now standing in front of me

"I said I am going to Auradon" I say suddenly getting a surge of confidence

"The hell you are" she says and I look down

"I'm going" I say and I see her face light up with an idea

"Yes you are. You are going to go to Auradon and then you are going to get triton and set me free" she says and I place my arms crossed over my chest

"No" I say lifting my chin up to look my mother in her hardened eyes

"What did you say" she questions, I grad my bag that had fallen onto the ground when I told my mum where I was going, and placed it on my shoulder.

"I said no" I say turning to leave but my mother grads my arm roughly and pulls me so I'm stood in front of her

"Yes you are and if you refuse then that little pirate boy of yours is a goner" she threatens and I laugh

"You have no power over me when we are there" I say and she moves her face so she is right next to my ear

"My necklace isn't the only thing with power that I own" she whispers

"What " I question

"My orb can kill anyone I choose" she whispers and I drop my bag and I feel a tear go down my check

"Fine" I whisper

"And I want you too date Ben and get rid of that Doug, I never really liked Evie and Mal and if you don't I will kill them both, Evie, Mal and your pirate" she says

"Mother please don't make me do that" I plead and she grads my face and pushes her finger nails into my check, drawing a little bit of blood

"Do it " she warns. She pushes her fingers into my checks more and then let's go and leaves the kitchen. I drop to the ground and place my head in my hands and silently cry more and more.

"If I don't get the ord then my mother kills Harry and if I don't date Ben and get rid of Doug then my mother will kill Harry, Mal, Evie, and the others including Ben and Doug." I say to myself. After crying for a minute I get up and wipe away my tears and make my way back to the hideout. On my way there I see Harry walking towards me with a worried look that immediately swapped with a happy grin when he saw me. He walks up to me and places his arms around my waist and I wrap my arms around his neck.

"Hello love" he says.

"Hay" I say not looking into his eyes until he places his hook under my chin and makes me look at him

"What's wrong" he questions

"Nothing" I say. He looks at me with a sceptical look so I kiss his lips ruthly so he can tell that I love him. He kiss back and tightens his arms around my waist. We walk back a bit until I feel my back against the wall of the alleyway and I release and jump up so my legs are wrapped around his waist. He smiles and kisses me again, one of my hands going through his messy hair and the other still wrapped around his neck. We kiss some more until he pulls away and places his forehead on mine

"Tell me what's wrong " he commands, tightening his grip on my waist

"Nothing I told you" I say and he tightens his grip more

"Fine my mum just freaked me out that's all" I say

"You sure" he questions and I kiss him again.

"Absolutely" I say. We kiss again and then he places me down and we walk back to the hideout. Once we get there I see that all of my friends are sat in the living room. Mal is leant on Ben ,who has his arm wrapped around Mal's waist, on the doorframe and Evie is sat on the sofa, leant against the sofas arm with her legs and feet resting on Jay and Carlos's lap. I quickly walk over to Mal and smile

"Mal can I talk to you" I look at Ben "alone" I say and Ben kisses Mal's head and let's her go. We walk into Mal's room and I instantly shut the door.

"Hay what's wrong ?" She asks me as I pace up and down the room.

"Ok I just want to tell you that what I'm going to do in the future, I'm so sorry for it" I cry

"What are you going to do ?" She asks me and I stop pacing and look at her, tears filling my eyes.

"I-I-I can't tell you" I stutter and I drop to the floor crying. Mal rushes to my side and places her arms around me, pulling me into a hug.

"Why can't you tell me ?" She asks and I place my head in the crock of her neck, crying more with each word Mal says.

"My mother" I whisper and Mal starts rubbing my back and making a "shh" noise.

"Uma your mother can't reach you in Auradon" she says and I laugh and I look at her

"She may not be able to reach me but she can reach the people I love" I say and she places her hand on my shoulder, and knocks her head to the side

"She said something but I'm scared that if I do do it then you will hate me and if I don't you won't have the chance to hate me because you will be dead" I say and she laughs

"Uma your mother can never get any of us so tell me what she told you" she sternly says

"She told me that if I don't do something then people will get hurt. But please I just don't want to tell anyone I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry before it happens" I say and she smiles

"Well if your ok then but I will never hate you" she says and we hug and we walk out of the room

"You ready " Ben asks us, wrapping an arm around Mal's shoulders and Harry walking towards me and placing his hands on my hips and kissing me.

"Guys" Evie hisses at us.

"Sorry Evie but to be fair, he is just so cute" I say rubbing Harry's nose with mine.

"Let's just go" she says. Because it was 9:00pm and Dizzy probably didn't sleep last night, she was passed out on Evie's lap. Evie slowly sat up and picked up Dizzy.

"Jay can you get my bags" she whispers as Dizzy wraps her arms around Evie's neck. We all get our things and leave the hideout and make our way to a black limo. We all get in and drive off to Auradon. I was sat on Harry's lap with him playing with my braids and Mal was sat on Bens lap with him drawing imaginary shapes on her trouser covered legs. Jay was driving the limo with Carlos in the passenger seat and Evie was in the corner of the limo, trying to fix her makeup because she had a arm wrapped around Dizzy who was leant on her still asleep and her legs stretched out along all of one side of the limo. We all talked about Auradon and Ben explained Auradon Prep and how we will have to live. Occasionally, Ben would say something that embarrassed Mal, she would playfully slap him on the arm. It was so good that we were all friends but I couldn't help but be upset that I would have to betray them to save their lives. But after what seemed like only minutes we arrived in Auradon and my mothers plan began.

 **Sorry for the short chapter but another one is coming but this one kinda just filled in the story for later chapters. Anyway if you have any ideas for a Descendants shorts then please comment.**


	9. Relationships are tested

**Mal's POV**

As the limo pulled to a stop, I noticed Uma tense up and look down to the ground. _What's wrong with Uma, she is never usually like this?_ I thought. The car fully stops and I'm waken out of my thoughts when I near Ben clap

"Here we are" he says and I look up at him from where I was, leaning on his side.

"Benny-boo its late. Why don't I take Uma to mine and Evie's room and she can sleep in my bed and I'll come sleep in your guest room? Jay and Carlos can take Harry and Gil to the empty room next to theirs and then we will all meet up at say 12 tomorrow and talk to Fairy Godmother" I say and he nods. I gently kiss Ben and me, Evie and Uma climb out of the car, Evie still carrying Dizzy. Uma says goodbye to Harry and I kiss Ben goodbye and tell him I will be with him in half an hour. The girls and I walk up the stairs in the castle and to our dorm rooms.

"I missed this place" I say as I link arms with Uma. Evie suddenly stops and the bottom of the stairs and rolls her eyes, she places Dizzy in my arms and sits down on one of the steps.

"What are you-" Uma starts but is interrupted by Evie taking off her high heeled boots. Uma and I look at each other then at Evie, confused

"I have just went to the isle of the lost, walked around a million steps with the amount of pacing I have had to do because of you guys" she starts, pointing to me and Uma "and carried Dizzy for half an hour so if I want to take my shoes off then I will because Zeus knows no one can stop me" she says. She hands Uma her shoes and takes Dizzy back from me and starts walking again, up the stairs. Uma looks at Evie's boots and signs, placing them over her shoulder and walking up the stairs to catch up with Evie. I just stand there in total shock at the bottom of the stairs

"Did Evie just... Ok then" I say straighting my leather jackets and running up the stairs to Uma and Evie.

We are all walking back to mine and Evie's (and now Uma's) dorm room, laughting and talking quietly so we don't wake anyone up to see Doug sat on one of the chairs against the wall, in front of our dorm room door.

"Doug what's wrong ?" I ask and he looks up at me then at Uma and then finally at Evie holding Dizzy. Doug's face that did look tired and scared then turned into happy and energetic at the sight of Evie.

"Where have you been ? I was so scared" he says gently, getting up and walking over to Evie

"Doug I promise I will answer all of your questions when I get Dizzy in bed and Uma and Mal sorted, ok ? Mal can you get the key, it's in my bag" she asks and I nod. I take Evie's handbag off of her shoulder and look through it until I found the key. I open the door and Evie quickly walks over to her bed and places Dizzy on it.

"E where are you going to sleep ?" I ask placing her handbag in her desk chair and walking over to the wardrobe to find some PJ's for me to wear at Bens.

"It's fine, Uma you change into your Pj's in the bathroom if you want " Evie says. Uma nods and walked into the bathroom, leaving me in the middle of the room and Evie who was placing the quilt over Dizzy, making sure she was comfortable before walking over to the bay window and closing the widows and turning on the fireplace and sitting in one of the chairs in front of the fireplace and started reading a book about fashion. Doug was lent in the doorway before closing the door and walking over to Evie and quietly taking the book out of her hands and placing it down on the coffe table in front of them. I moved and sat on the coffe table in front of them both

"Where did you go ?" Doug asks Evie but she just looked down so I answer

"It was my fault Doug. I went to the Isle and Evie followed me." I say and he signs

"Mal I'm not upset I just got scared about Evie" he says reaching over and taking Evie's hand.

"Doug why don't I go and you guys can have some privacy. Once Uma comes out I will sort her out and you guys can go talk in the walk in wardrobe" I say getting up and knocking on the bathroom door.

"One sec Mal " Uma shouts from inside the bathroom. Uma opens the door a second later wearing some blue shorts and a blue tank top with rips in it to expose the green fabric underneath. Her braided hair was tied behind her head in a bun and she was carrying her Isle clothes in her hands. Uma walks over to her bag on the floor and places her outfit in the bag and looking back at me

"How did you know it was me ?" I ask and she chuckles

"We all know that Evie would of just walked in and started curling her hair or some girly thing" she says. Evie and Doug get up and walk into the walk in wardrobe while I sit down on my bed with Uma leaning on one of the beams

"So what's up ?" I ask

"Nothing" she lies

"Uma" I warn

"Fine, my mother just kinda scared me" she ammits but I know that's not all.

"My mother did that to me. Scared me into thinking all this nonsense about now you have to be evil and that the princes here were a waist of time and the princess were stuck up" I explain and she moves so she is sat next to me " But coming here, it helped me. I love Ben and my friends and my mother is now a green gecko living in a tiny tank. And the genie thought he had it bad" I laugh and Uma joins in

"Yea but she threatened the people I love" she says

"She can't reach us" I say and she laughs

"Yea she can" she says

"No she can't Uma, your just paranoid" I say and she looks up at me, tears filling her eyes

"Her orb." She cries and I remember Uma talking about that thing when we were young

"What did she say " I ask already predicting where this is going

"I need to free her with the triton and break up with Harry to date" she starts but the tears overwhelm her and she falls onto my shoulder. I run her back and she lifts her head to finish her sentence "Ben" she whispers and I'm shocked but I hide it. I pull her into a hug and start to rub her hair and back. She cries and cries until her cries turns into quiet snores on my shoulder. I laugh as I place her comfortably in my bed.

"And she said she never snored" I say getting my bag and knocking on the closet door. I open it slowly to see Evie crying in Dougs arms and Doug kissing her head, whispering in her ear and ridding her back. I smile and Doug looks up and me and nods his head. I smile and close the door to go to Ben.

 **Evie's POV ( while Mal and Uma were talking )**

I walk into the walk in wardrobe and a surge of happiness over comes me. All the walls in the wardrobe are covered in stacks of clothes and shoes that I can remember designing with Doug sat next to me. Those memories are ones filled with happiness and love but then I remember why I'm now in the walk in wardrobe. Doug walks over to the little island in the middle of the room and just stands there looking at me.

"I'm sorry I scared you" I mutter looking down and my sock covered feet. Doug walks up to me and wraps his arms around my waist and gently lifts my head up so my eyes meet his hazel brown ones.

"No I'm sorry, I should of trusted you enough but when a person you love goes missing almost vanishes in fin air, you think the worst possible things and that's what I did" he admits

"Doug I can handle myself" I try to convince him

"I know but I love you so I don't want you to even be in a position where you have to save yourself. Because that means your in danger" he says and I smile

"Doug I am from the isle, I am always in danger and I live with that everyday so you don't have to worry about me " I say placing my hands on his chest

"What if you ran into your mother ? I know what she did to you and I never want you to go through that again" he says, my smile fades away with the memories of my mother

"I didn't think of that " I mutter, tears coming out of my eyes.

"Evie, you are the bravest person I know so if you need to cry then cry" he whispers in my ear.

"I just, she broke me and when I saw you in that seat looking so broken it reminded me of those memories. I hate that Mal, Carlos, Jay and everyone else doesn't know about my mother " I choke out but the tears start to flow more and more so Doug pulls me into a hug, whispering in my ear that he loves me and kissing my head while rubbing my back. "She never loved me, did she ?" I ask

"I honestly don't know " he admits kissing my head again.

"I hate that place but Mal was as broken as I am now and she ran away from all this" I say gesturing to the wardrobe around us " and we know about her and Maleficant so we could help her but what if I do something worse because I have never told them" I cry

"Then tell them" he says and I chuckle slightly

"No, I can't. They all see me as the brave one, the one who was the most lucky and has never had cuts or bruises but I have, worse then anyone but I could hide mine so they don't know. What if they hate me for keeping this a secret" I say looking up to Doug

"They will find out sooner or later" he says and I gently walk out of the hug and stand on the other side of the island, pacing back and forth until I snap

"No they can't" I say rather loudly "Doug they can't know about any of it " I say placing my elbow on the table and pointing to him.

"They need to know that" he starts but I cut him off

"KNOW WHAT" I shout "that I went days without food and water, how I was a guinea pig for my mothers spells and poison apples or that I have so many scars on my body that I am scared to walk down the corridor in case someone sees a scar I didn't cover up properly. My life was hell and hasn't gotten all that better and now I have Dizzy sleeping in the other room, and I hope that she will never have the life I had but I know that she has had some type of my life just without the scars. Dizzy is my only family and I will not tell her about any of my struggles." I say breathing in heavily. "And Uma has had the same life as me" I whisper

"Evie, calm down" Doug says walking closer to me but I back away

"No stay away please" I cry

"Evie" he says tears threatening to fall from his eyes

"I'm not good enough for you, no matter now far I get way from my mother she will always torment me. I will always be damaged and just the Evil Queens daughter" I say, crying more and more

"You don't believe that do you ?" He questions me

"Evie" I hear a little cry from the small voice in the doorway. I look over Dougs shoulders to see Dizzy stood there, tears filling her eyes and her checks a rose colour. I run over to her and quickly pick her up as I rock her side to side, shushing her as she cries into my neck.

"Doug can you just go " I whisper to him and he nods and leaves the room. I stand there with Dizzy crying into my neck as I rub her back like when she was younger.

"What's wrong Diz ?" I whisper to her and she looks at me

"I-I-I heard s-shouting and crying and then y-you saying y-you didn't want me t-t-to have your life. " she sniffles and I place my hand on the back of her head as she goes back into crying on my neck

"It was just grown up talk, it's nothing" I say trying to hold in my own tears " how about you go lie down and I will tell you a fairytale " I suggest and she mumbles a yes. I carry her into my dorm room and place her on my bed. She gets under the covers and turns to face me as I sit on the chair next to my bed and I open one of the books on my shelf and I clear my thought throat as I open the book.

"Once upon a time" I begin.


	10. Mal finds out ?

**Mal's POV**

I stretched my arms out as the blinding sunlight shined into my eyes, as I slowly sat up against the headrest of Ben's guest bed. The room looked like Ben's office, half of the wall was covered with oak wood and the other with blue paint and in front of the large king-sized bed, there was a large fireplace and two brown, leather chairs. The blue carpet felt welcoming as I placed my bare feet onto the floor, rubbing my eyes as there was a quite knock on the door. I slowly slipped on my purple slippers as I opened the large oak door, to see a grinning Ben stood there wearing his royal blue suit with black shinny shoes, holding a tray that had a plate of some toast and a whole bowl of strawberries on it. I lick my lips as my eyes settle on the vibrant strawberries, feeling my stomach growl at the sight of food

"Hay" I say leaning against the door

"Hello sleepy, brought some breakfast" he says as I open the door wider so he walks in and places the tray on the messy bed. I quickly follow him and flop onto the bed, holding my head with my hand as I grad a strawberry

"You hungry ?" He asks me with a slight giggle.

"Maybe, hectic week" I sign and he nods

"you got that right " he signs, moving a piece of my short hair out of my face and behind my ears. "we havent had much time to be us, have we ?" he asks me

"not really, but now it has all changed and i'm back for good this time" i promise him

"amazing" he says leaning forward and kisses me on the check " but is Uma, Harry and Gil okay here ?" he asks me and I bite my lip. I didn't want to tell him about Uma's plan because I want to be able to stop her from making the same mistake I did, but actually I didn't go through with but she might. I would never admit it but Uma was stronger then me when it came to emotions, she had these barriers up and even I could never seem to break everyone of them down. Whenever one would come down she would always add two more , because she didn't want to get hurt and I couldn't blame her, being hurt by anyone is painful but being hurt by a friend is almost kill able and she knew what it did to me, broke me into tiny little pieces that i'm still trying to put together now, and she didn't and still doesn't want that to happen to her.

"I was going to talk to Uma today actually, you know girl talk and all that" I laugh placing a strawberry in my mouth before he could respond to my weirdness.

"okay well what about Gil and Harry ?" he asks me and I shrug my shoulders

" I don't know about them maybe you and the boys could take them on a tour and some lunch you know, get to know them" I suggest

" okay and it may seem early but what about cotillion, do you want to cancel or ?' he asks

"I want to do it, and its in two days so I think it's too late now " I say

"are you sure ?" he asks me, reaching out and gently taking one of my hands in his

"yea just I need help with all this " I say gesturing to the spacious room around us

"well then maybe my mother could help you " he suggests to me, chuckling slightly as a shocked look appeared on my face at the notion of the former queen helping me with my duties as Lady Of The Court.

"what ?" I ask, thinking I heard him wrong but as he shock his head, trying to silence the slight chuckle that escape his month, I realised that I heard him correctly. I stutter as the realisation settles in, trying to find the right words to refuse the offer

"my mother said that she wanted to help you, and now she can help you " he says

"Ben, I don't think that is a good idea" I tell him, slowly shaking my head

"why wouldn't it be a good idea ?" he asks me, like what I was telling him was nonsense

"Ben, you may need me to be perfect but the people do and if I go to queen Belle for help then its like i'm giving up and then the people wont see me as worth if the first thing I do is run away and ask for help when things get tough" I tell him, looking down to our conjoined hands. He signs, gently placing his finger under my chin giving me no choice but to look into his dazzling brown eyes. His lips were settled into a subtle smile, his untamed brown hair was swooshed to the right, showing the way his eyes sparkled when he was trying to think of a thing to say. He rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb, slowly but surly moving closer to me and finally leaning his forehead on mine. My breathing hitched as i felt the warm tinkle of his breath run down my neck, his nose rubbing against mine.

"you are perfect for me, so if the people cant see that I love you then maybe they don't know you could enough. You don't need to change for that, because everything about you is perfect" he says as a small smile begins to appear on my lips.

"like what ?" I cheekily say as he smiles back at me

"your hair" he starts moving closer to me "your eyes" he says moving closer making me slowly start to lean down "and your stubbornness" he says, I let out of sign of relief as my head hits the soft pillow on my bed. Ben has both of his hands next to my head as he continues to list the things he loves about me but after he listed two other things he concluded with "and your pink lips" he tells me

"is that so ?" I ask as he leans closer,brushing my nose with his.

"yea" he confirms

"I love you Benny-boo" I say, pushing my lips up to meet in a soft and gentle kiss. He slowly leans down, pressing my head into the blue cushion.

"I love you too my fairy" he says before kissing me again. He starts kissing me with more and more passion and love, like he missed me. He moved one of his hands and places it against my hip, moving us both so we are lay on our sides, but never once did he break the kiss. Until the urge for air became unbearable, causing us both to part, gazing into each others eyes as I move my hand and start to move his hair to the side, making it seem more put together. He just smiles at me as I close one of my eyes, trying to fix his tangled hair

"I missed this" I whisper to him, causing him to plant a quick kiss on my lips

"me too" he agreed, running his hand up and down the side of my stomach.

"Fine" I said as he looked at me confused

"what ?" he says, trying to seem confused but by the look of his face, he knew exactly what he was doing. I signed and rolled us both other, causing me to be sat on his torso, a little smile playing on my lips but I had to be serious. he moved his hands and placed them gently on my legs, as I looked down at my boyfriend who was faking his innocence.

"I know why you kissed me" I said as he rubbed my leg with his right thumb, never talking his eyes off of mine.

"because I love you ?" he stated but it sounded more of a question then a solid answer. I laugh at his nervousness, placing my hands on his chest adding a small amount of pressure

"because you want me to go to those meetings with your mother " I tell him, making him chuckle nervously from under me. I raise an eyebrow at him, something I know he would always snap from but to my surprise he just looked away from me. I sat back a little and took my hands off of his chest, instead placing them on either side of his face and making him look at me. And finally he breaks

"Fine, okay so maybe I wanted you to talk to my mother. But i wanted to kiss you because I love you " he reassures me.

"Kiss up, now come on you have to go meet the boys and I have to talk to Uma " I say quickly get off of my boyfriend and walking over to the bathroom where I kept a spare set of clothes. Nothing fancy, a one-strap, knee length deep purple dress that had a leather pattern on it and a pair of dark ,almost black in colour, dolly shoes to match. As I reach the bathroom door, Ben gently grads my wrist and turns me around, pressing a long and loving kiss into my lips.

"what was that for ?" I ask, placing my hands on his chest

"just because " he shrugs

"just because... you don't want to talk to the boys do you" I finish for him

"well, yea kinda" he confirms rubbing the back of his neck.

"they will be fine, trust me and if they hurt you, I will tell them off" I say straightening out his blue suit to make him look like the king he was.

"okay then well got to go" he says giving me on final kiss on the check before leaving the guest room. I get dressed before texting Uma to ask if we could meet up in the rose garden, she agreed and we planned to meet up in two hours but because I had already made a plan of seeing Dizzy and Evie, I told her I would come to her. After putting on my dress and shoes, I sat at the oak vanity table to do my hair in simple curls that were pinned back behind my ears and did my makeup. Nothing to complicated, just a sparkly eye-shadow and a dark crimson coloured lipstick that matched my dress. I added my dragon necklace and purple handbag before walking out the room and down the corridor towards mine and Evie's dorm room. But after I had opened the door using my key, I slightly laughed to myself at the sight, Dizzy was cuddled up in Evie's bed holding a teddy bear in her arms and Evie was fast asleep on a chair next to the bed, a fairy tale book resting open on her lap. Neither Evie or Dizzy had got the chance to change put of their Isle clothes and Evie's makeup was slightly smudged, weather it was from her sleeping or not was anyone's guess, both of the girls hair was slightly tangled and messy and their shoes looked like Evie and Dizzy had lazily thrown them off before going to sleep. I signed as I quietly moved forward and closed the door behind me, placing my handbag onto the desk where Evie's sewing machine was and walked over to the two sleeping girls. I knelled in front of Dizzy and moved some of her light brown hair out of her face and behind her ear, smiling as Dizzy snuggled into the teddy more as I rubbed her check with my thumb causing the girl to smile in her sleep. Although Evie acts like a mum to Dizzy, I always thought of Dizzy as my best friend, always there when I needed her and so I love it when I get to look after her and she gets to act like the little girl she is instead of a grown up.

"Hay Mal" I heard Uma say as she walked out of the bathroom, wearing ripped blue trousers and a teal tank top that had rip's in it, exposing the ocean blue fabric underneath the top. Uma's hair was braided like normal and she wore combat boots to pull the whole outfit together with her black bomber jacket was tied around her waist. She walked over to my bed and picked up her mothers necklace that was on the nightstand and put it around her neck, completing the whole outfit.

"Hay" I said as I stood up straight and gestured towards the two sleeping girls behind me, raising my eyebrow asking for her to explain.

"Dizzy couldn't sleep and neither could I" she explained and I nodded

"Bed's to soft ?" I questioned and she nodded "I had that, slept on the floor for the first couple of days" I said as she slightly laughed before shaking her head

"Yea the bed's were to soft and Evie and Doug had a fight something about Evie's mother and Evie not wanting Dizzy to have the same childhood " she said but I knew she was keeping something from me.

"what else ?" I asked and she looked scared to tell me.

"I know I shouldn't of listened but she shouted it and so Dizzy woke up crying and she wanted to get Evie but I told her not to so she just hugged me and cried into my shoulder while I covered her ear's just in case Evie shouted again and she did and I heard it" she said in all one breathe causing me to walk over to her and place my hands on her shoulder

"Uma, no one is going to punish you. It's not like the Isle" I tell her, knowing the only reason she was panicking was because if you heard something you shouldn't on the Isle, it more often then not ended up with a punishment and not a time out either, but worse.

"Okay" she breathed, taking long breathes so she wouldn't panic again

"Now, what did Evie say ?" I ask her and she takes my hand and pulls me towards the bathroom, locking the door behind us as starts pacing around the large room.

"Okay, she said she went days without food and water and was a guinea pig for her mothers spells and that she has " she starts as she stops pacing and looks at me. I had moved at sat on the counter so she sits next to me and takes my hands in hers.

"what does she have ?" I ask and she signs

"scars and by the way she described them, they are terrible. But the way she talked about Dizzy, it broke me" she said as a single tear left her eye's.

"Uma. please I need to know" I press and she signs again

"she said she didn't want Dizzy to have the life she had and apparently her life was hell which considering where we came from, i believe" Uma said.

"Did she say anything else ?" I ask on the brink of tears. Evie has always been the strong one in the group, the one who was innocent. What hurt me the most thinking about all that Uma was telling me, was that Evie didn't come to us. I always went to her when Maleficent punished me and now I was being told that Evie didn't feel like she could come to me or Jay or Carlos for help. I didn't even notice I was crying until Uma raised her hand and whipped away a tear from my check as she smiled at me which I could see right through.

"Mal, I don't think I should be the one telling you this " she tells me and I shake my head

"No, she won't tell me, Uma I need you to tell me " I press on

"She broke up with Doug I think" she mutters and I gasp. They both loved each other and Evie always told me to follow my heart so if she tells me to follow my heart why can't she follow hers. Uma snapped me out of my thoughts by saying "You can't tell Evie you know this" and I look at her in disbelief.

"Why ?" I ask

"because then she will hate me for listening and she will most likely block everyone out, so then she won't eat and you know what happened last time. The whole Isle heard about it" Uma explained and I signed, remembering the last time Evie blocked everyone out

"Yea, that scared us all" I mutter and she nods in agreement. "Fine, I won't tell her I know about all this but you have to help me with something " I tell her and she nods

"anything" she says and I take a deep breathe

"You tell me what you were talking about last night" I say raising my chin up at her as she shrinks down and starts to play with a lock of her braided hair.

"it was nothing, I was tired" she lies and I roll my eyes at her

"Uma" I warn and she rolls her eyes

"I'm not three Mal, saying my name in a stern tone is not going to make me break and neither is that wired eye thing" she says

"What wired eye thing ?" I ask innocently ans she looks up at me and when our eyes lock, I make my eyes turn a bright green like I did when I was fighting Maleficent. Uma tries to look away but can't and eventually she hits my arm telling me to stop it. I close my eyes and breathe until I feel my eyes go back to normal and I open my eyes to see Uma playing with her hair again and looking down to the ground.

"I can't win when you do that and you know it" she mutters and I smile innocently

"I know, now what did you mean ?" I ask

"well what do you remember ?" she asks and I think back to last night

"well you said that your mother threatened the people you love, and that she can reach you here using her orb. And you also said that" I drop my voice into a whisper " that you had to break up with Harry to date Ben" I mutter and she nods

"I'm so sorry Mal, but she threatened the people I love if I don't" she explains

"no, we can find a way" i say reaching out and taking her hand in mine but she pulls them away from me and holds them close to her chest, as if she is scared I would hurt her "Uma I'm not going to hurt you" I tell her and she shakes her head

"It's not that" she mutters

"then what ?" I ask

"I don't want to hurt you " she snaps at me

"you won't" I say reaching for her hands again but she pulls away and stands up, backing away from me with a scared look etched in her face

"Yes I will, you will hate me and I will have to go back to the Isle and never see Carlos, Jay, Evie, Ben, Dizzy or Harry and everyone will hate me for what I have to do" she says, tears leaking from her eyes as she dig's her fingers into her arms with each point she makes

"Uma, don't do that. Your'll hurt yourself" I tell her standing up and slowly walking over to her but she raises her hands up in defence telling me to stop so I do.

"Everyone will hate me, especially you. I will break Dizzy's heart because I love that girl like a sister and Harry. He will hate me for the rest of my life" she says getting quieter by the second.

"Uma don't be ridiculous, Dizzy loves you like your her family, your my best friend and Harry loves you so much. He could hate you if he tried " I reassure her and she slightly laughs at the last part making me more confused.

"would Ben love you if you broke up with him and dated someone else " she rhetorically asks me but I decide to answer.

"he would be hurt but he would know that I did it for a reason" I truthfully say

"And i'm doing it for a reason" she says, the tears coming with more force now.

"a reason that is not valid " I fight back " I am not losing my best friend, not again " I tell her pointing to the ground as I was to angry and upset to do anything else.

"Mal, if there was another way then i would but there's not. I spent all last night trying to think of a way so I didn't have to hurt anyone but there isn't" she shouts back at me.

"There has to be" I shout back " what did your mother do to you" I ask

"what do you mean ?" she snaps at me

"My best friend is optimistic, caring, amazing and so much more" I say stepping towards her slowly so I don't scare her again

"Yea Evie's amazing" she says and I smile

"no, you silly. Your my best friend so I know when your not acting like your self and you haven't since you cam back from your mothers" I say taking another slow step forward.

"I told you, she scared me. That's it, end of story, game over" she rambles on

"Maleficent scares me and yet I don't change" I say

"UMA, MAL " someone shouts from the dorm room, Uma turns around and quickly unlocks the bathroom door and opens it. We were greeted by a sweating Ben, still wearing his suit but without the jacket and his top button's were undone, and his hair was a untamed mess on top of his head. I ran passed Uma and towards Ben, grading his face and looking at him

"are you okay ? Whats wrong ?" I frantically ask as Uma makes her way over to a scared looking Evie and Dizzy. Evie looked around the room and when her eyes landed on Dizzy she got up and sat on the bed, Dizzy immediately sat up and hugged Evie, scared of the voice that had woken her up. Evie ran her fingers through the young girls hair as Dizzy started to shake causing Evie to kiss the top of the girls head to calm her down.

"Ben whats wrong ?" Evie asked Ben as he looked between me and Evie before his eyes landed on Uma. Uma looked at him for a bit and gasped

"Is he okay ?" she asked Ben and he shock his head no. Uma quickly got up and ran out of the room and down the corridor to Zeus knows where.

"Ben, tell me whats wrong ?" I say sternly and he looks back at me

"It's Harry, we think he's dying " he mutters

 **I'm sorry it took a while to update but I have started writing on Wattpad and I would love it if you guys checked out my other stories on there. My user name is**

 **MiaJayneR**

 **I know its wrong to leave you on a cliffhanger but i'm starting to really like this story and i'm going to start writing the next part right after I publish this one.**

 **So thank you for reading and i hope you enjoyed it.**

 **Bye :)**


	11. Mommy ?

**No one's POV**

"It's Harry, we think he's dying" he mutters. Evie looks down at Dizzy trying to hide her tears at the news and starts to kiss Dizzy's head again to try and calm down the young girl in her arms. Mal however, get's angry. Mal has never been able to show sadness and instead shows it as anger, so Mal shock her head and stepped out of Ben's arms.

"No,this i a joke. Ben tell me its a joke" she says sternly but when Ben shakes his head no, she breaks down. She starts crying more and more so Ben pulls her into a hug, but she starts punching his chest in anger and upset however Ben doesn't let go of her instead he holds onto her tighter and kisses the top of her head as her punches become less frequent and she places her head on his chest crying into him as he holds her.

"I'm so sorry Mal" Ben whsipers and he feels a pair of arms wrap around his and Mal's legs. Mal moves away slightly and looks down to see a crying Dizzy hugging both of their legs tightly. Mal chuckles as she bends down and picks up Dizzy, who immediately wrapped her arms around the purple haired girls neck.

"He's not going to die right ?" Dizzy mutters from Mal's neck and Mal looks up at Ben with tears gathering in her eyes once more at the little girls question. Evie gets up and stands next to Ben as she looks at Mal, silently asking her best friend to take this one.

"No, he is not" Mal finally says

"Now can you be sure ?" Dizzy asks, raising her head to look Mal in her green eyes that were covered with tears which made Dizzy even more upset.

"Because Harry is strong right" Mal asked and Dizzy nodded "so he will get better and the first thing he will do is run around the rose garden with you playing tag " Mal said tickling Dizzy's stomach, making the young girl laugh which in toe made everyone else smile

"Can I go see him ?" Dizzy questioned. Mal placed her hand on the back of the girls head, making the young girl rest her chin on the teen's shoulder, Mal looked at the other two and they nodded their heads at her.

"Of course, now come on and lets go" Mal said as she went to put down Dizzy but the little girl just kept her arms around Mal's neck "Dizzy, come on" Mal said

"Please Mal, I don't want to go out there alone" Dizzy said, gesturing towards the hallway that started to be filled with busy students.

"Mal, please my arms are still tired " Evie says

"Fine, but only this once" Mal said moving Dizzy so the young girl was on her hip with her legs wrapped around the teenagers middle.

Ben offered many times to carry Dizzy when they were walking down the corridor towards the boys dorm room, but Mal declined each time but as the group came towards the open door of the boys dorm room, Ben and Evie noticed that Mal slowed down almost coming into a complete stop in the hallway.

"I don't think I can do it" Mal muttered as Evie walked up to her best friend

"Mal, if you walk in that room then you may be able to save him and if you can't then you will be able to tell him that you love him and goodbye but if you don't you will always regret it " Evie tells her best friend

"What happens if he has already " Mal couldn't finish her sentence without a few tears escape her eyes but Dizzy whipped away some of Mal's tears with her finger

"Mal can you come in with me ?" Dizzy asked as she placed the right side of her face on Mal's shoulders so she could look up at the teen. Mal smiled down at the young girl.

"Okay " Mal confirmed taking a deep breath and walking forward so she stood in the doorway of the dorm room. The sight that greeted the teen almost break her, Uma was knelt on the floor next to Jay's bed as Harry lay on it, holding a crying Uma's hand in his own. Carlos, Gil and Jay were stood at the end of the bed, looking at their dying friend with sad expressions but they weren't crying because they both knew that crying meant giving up. Dizzy looked up from Mal's shoulder and gasped making Harry turn his head and look at her, he smiled at the young girl and did a small wave making Mal smile as the tears started to come more from her eyes.

"she wanted to see you" Mal said through tears and Harry smiled gesturing for Dizzy to come over. Mal placed Dizzy on the floor and placed her hand on the girls back, gently guiding the young girl over to Harry.

"hello lass" Harry said, his once thick Scottish was now weak and sounded sleepily.

"Hi, Harry" Dizzy said as Ben and Evie walked inside the room to stand beside Jay, Gil and Carlos "your going to be okay, right ?" she asked fear ringing through her voice.

"Diz, I will be fine" he said as he looked up at Mal, who had her hands resting on Dizzy's shoulders. Mal smiled at Harry through tears and he smiled back

"Hi ya" he said weakly

"Hi, Harry. I'm so sorry for this" Mal said as she moved and sat on the bed, with Dizzy on her lap as the young girl cried into Mal's chest silently.

"No, its okay" he said back

"Harry, please don't go. Your my brother, I need you. Who will calm me down when I have to do exams ? You were going to be the first person I told if I went to collage, what happens after school ? You can't leave me" Mal said through tears and Harry lifts his hand up and wiped away one of her tears and smiled leaving his hand on her check for a moment.

"You have Uma,Gil , Evie, Jay, Carlos, Ben and Dizzy" he explained causing Uma to look up at him from the mention of her name

"But what about the important things. We had it all planned out as kids, you and me partners in crime and then when we fell in love, you were going to walk me down the isle, you were going to be the first one to hold my child, you were going to marry Uma and have two children, one boy and one girl" Mal said laughing slightly at the memories.

"Holly for a girl and Ulfred for a boy" he said smiling at the memories

"see, and mine and your kids would be best friend and have sleep overs almost every night. They would sword fight and use magic and me and Uma would watch as you ran around the garden playing tag with them" Mal said looking over to Uma to see her smile

"yea" he mutters sadly

"Please Harry, I can't lose you. Your my best friend, always there for me and Uma. We can't lose you" Mal says reaching over and taking Uma's hand in mine and giving it a slight squeeze.

"please Harry" Uma begs wiping away her tears with her other hand that Mal wasn't holding

"I'm sorry love" Harry says to Uma who was crying more and more. Dizzy moved off of Mals lap and walked over to Uma who down at the young girl

"Evie said that a hug always helps" Dizzy says extending her arms to Uma. Uma smiles and picks Dizzy up and places the young girl on her lap, wrapping her arms around her waist as Uma kissed the top of Dizzy's head. Dizzy smiled as Uma wrapped her arms around the young girl and placed her chin on the young girls head.

"Dizzy" Harry says, causing both the girls to look at him "look after Uma, okay" Harry said holding out his pinkie and Dizzy wrapped her hand around it and nodded

"Okay, but promise me one thing " Dizzy said and Harry nodded

"anything" he said simply

"That I get to be a flower girl at you and Uma's wedding. And that Mal is the maid of honour and Evie is a bridesmaid" Dizzy said with a sad smile on her lips

"Of course but then promise me something" he said. He gestured for her to come closer so Dizzy jumped off of Uma's lap and sat in the bed next to Harry.

"Do you see that purple haired and blue haired girl ?" Harry asked pointing to Evie and Mal

"yea" Dizzy said as Harry looked back at a confused Dizzy.

"I want you to look after Evie because from what Mal has told me, she will be your mum right ?" Harry asked and Dizzy looked up at a smiling Evie and nodded

"yea, she is my mum" Dizzy confirmed

"so, you look after her and I want you to look after Mal because she is now your aunt. Okay?" he asked again and Dizzy looked up at Mal and smiled

"Yea, your all my family " Dizzy said and Harry smiled

"Now, this" he said leaning forward and taking off a gold necklace that had a hook dangling at the end of it "was my big sisters and she told me to give it to someone who I love, and because I love you like you were my own sister, you can have it" Harry said handing Dizzy the necklace. Uma smiled and stood up before sitting behind Dizzy and taking the necklace out of the girls hands to then place it around her neck and do it up.

"perfect" Harry said as Dizzy placed her hand on the little hook.

"I never want you to forget where you come from okay, it makes you you and no one can ever take that away from you" Harry said and Dizzy smiled before wrapping her arms around Harry's neck and pulling him into a hug

"please don't leave " Dizzy muttered

"I have to but I will always love you okay" Harry reassures the young girl

"Harry, don't give up" Evie said from the end of the bed "Who will I make suits for or complain to when Mal is being difficult ?" Evie said causing a small laugh from the pirate

"And who will I train with in R.O.A.R practice ?" Jay said

"Who will help me in school ?" Gil asked his best friend

"who will I ask for help in P.E ?" Carlos asked

"who will I ask about the Isle's docks ?" Ben asked

"who will help me plan for the future ?" Mal asked as Ben walked around the bed and placed his hands on Mal's shoulders with one of Mal's hands resting on his.

"who will teach me about boys and how to fight ?" Dizzy asked causing Harry to laugh

"You aren't getting a boyfriend" he told the young girl

"Who's going to teach me to love ?" Uma muttered from where she was on the bed. "I love you Harry, I always have. Please don't leave me alone in this world, I've been alone and I never want that again" Uma pleads as tears escape her eyes

"I love you too and I will never leave you, I will always look down on you from the stars " Harry says reaching over and wiping away one of Uma's tears

"It won't be the same, you will I kiss when I need to feel better, hug when I feel alone, hold hands with when I'm scared or even talk to when i'm angry" Uma cries.

"Uma, I love you so so much but we both know that you don't live forever" Harry reminded her and she looked away from him so everyone couldn't see her cry

"We are 17, me and you should be going on a long walk on the beach right now instead of me sat here watching the love of my life die " Uma says

"Uma, I love you " Harry said and Uma broke. Tears started to overwhelm her as she stood up and wiped away as many as she could before looking back at the group of teens who all had worried and sad faces on them.

"I c-c-can't do this " Uma stutters as she runs out of the room but as soon as she passes the doorway she starts to slow down and places a hand on the wall to steady herself as she uses the other one to cover her mouth. Back in the room, everyone looks at each other confused until Harry tries to sit up and leave his bed

"Oh no you don't" Mal warns as she gently pulls him back onto the bed.

"someone has to go" he said trying to get up again but yet again Mal stops him

"I'll go" Mal said and looks at Dizzy who smiles at the teen silently asking if she can go as well. Mal signs and kneels in front of Dizzy who was still sat on the bed

"Dizzy, I need you to be a big girl and look after Evie" Mal said as she looked over Dizzy's shoulder to see Evie facing the bay window with a hand covering her mouth trying to be as unnoticed as humanly possible. Dizzy turns around and see's Evie crying and nods

"Okay, aunt " Dizzy said

"Thank you" Mal said as she kissed the girls forehead and walks towards the door but stops when she heard Dizzy's small voice

"mommy" she said in a small voice. Mal didn't need to turn around to know that Evie smiled at what Dizzy called her but Mal smiled at Evie's response

"Yea baby-girl " Evie confirmed

 **I know this is a short chapter but I thought that it was a really sweet ending and I really liked it so i went for it. I know that some of you are going to be upset about the whole Harry dying but I have a plan that fingers-crossed you will like. I haven't proof read this so any problems e.g spelling, tell me in the comments and I will remember for next time.**

 **I know that some people really wanted to know how Dizzy and Evie's story was going to carry on from previous chapters and I have a plan like i said but if you want me to include Jane and Carlos (they will come up in future chapters, I think) or Jay and Lonnie then please tell me in the comments because I do read them. Not a lot of Bal (Ben and Mal) moments in this but just like for Jane and Carlos, I will add more Bal moments but this one was many about Uma and Harry and this is one of the big chapters because all though it is a short one, Uma will look back on it for the rest of this book and make decisions based on the events.**

 **Anyway, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. :)**


	12. Where did she go ?

**No ones POV**

Mal smiled to herself after hearing what Evie called Dizzy and started to look around the almost empty corridor for the daughter of the sea witch, Ursula. She knew what Uma was like. Uma was like her. Didn't show emotions, didn't show love, didn't show happiness and she most definitely did not show sadness. But there was one difference in how they showed their emotions, Mal had things and people that could make her break down and make her tell them whats wrong, people like Evie, Jay, Carlos, Ben, Uma but mainly Harry, but Uma didn't have weaknesses. Uma never cried so for her to run out the room because of her emotions, was something that almost never happened. It showed people she cared, something that people from The Isle Of The Lost didn't usually do and for Uma to care about you, you had to be very special in her life and Mal knew that person was harry.

Mal quickly walked down the corridor so the other students wouldn't be suspicious as to why the future Lady Of The Court was almost running down the corridors, scanning every corner and student that she passed so she couldn't miss Uma. Mal was about to start running when she saw Uma, with her hand leaning on the wall and the other covering her mouth so she didn't scream in anger and sadness. She looked devastated, and Mal could understand why. The love of her life was dying and as far as everyone knew, no one could prevent it from happening. Uma was sobbing into her hand, not caring about the students reaction because she knew that they couldn't possibly understand what she was going through, so they couldn't help and the only person who could help her when she was upset was lay on a bed dying and it was her fault. All of it. Every cough he had, every pain was her fault.

Mal slowed into a walkat the sight of her best friend, and walked up next to her

"Uma" Mal whispered to the blue haired girl not really ready for the response she would get

"I'm killing him, it's me. It's always been me" Uma cried.

"come here" Mal said in a gentle tone, extending out both of her arms for the crying girl. Uma looked up at Mal slightly shocked but quickly took her arms off of the wall and instead wrapped them around Mal's neck, in a tight hug. For a while, Mal and Uma stayed there, with Uma crying into Mal's shoulders and Mal rubbing circles on the emotional girls back trying to get her to calm down but all the times she tried to get out the hug to take Uma back to the dorm room, Uma held on tighter. Not wanting to be left alone or to see the man she loved go through pain because of her.

"Uma, we need to go back" Mal whispered in her ear but Uma just shock her head

"No" she muttered unable to say anything else due to the tears.

"Hay, come on. You know he is going to be alright" Mal told her

"No, it's my fault he's like this "she said and Mal signed, pulling Uma out of the hug and making the young teen look at her

"No its not, he is in that room right now thinking about how he needs you by his side. Uma i have nothing but sympathy for what you and Harry are going through right now, but you crying in a school corridor away from him is not going to help him, sorry to tell you this but its not going to help anyone, so you need to be the supportive girlfriend that you really are and go in there and hold his hand and tell him that everything will be alright" Mal tells her.

"I can't" Uma mutters, looking down towards the wooden floor of the hallway.

"Uma, I can't imagine what you are going through, and if it was Ben in that room I would be doing the same as you, crying out here because you don't want your crew to see you weak but let me tell you that crying is not weak, not when it comes to things like this. You are a 17 year old girl going through something that most adults find undo able, but you are also the girl who I have grown up with so I know that you can do this" Mal says squeezing Uma's hands for reassurance.

"Mal, I did this, he will hate me " she mutters again looking at the floor

"Uma, that pirate loves you. I know it's hard for people like us to admit when we love someone and when they love us but Uma, Harry needs you to be by his side right now, whether you want to admit you love him or not. Please, I can be his sister but he needs his girlfriend" Mal pleads on the brink of tears

"You promise he wont hate me" Uma whispers now lifting her head to look at Mal

"Yea, I promise " Mal says. Uma nods and wipes away her tears and takes Mals hand again before running back to the dorm room.

When they got there everyone was dotted around the room. Evie was sat on the bed next to Harry with Dizzy on her lap as the little girl played with some of Evie's blue locks, Jay and Gil were sat on the sofa in front of Jay's bed. Carlos was sat at the desk, on the computer and trying to research the illness Harry had and trying to find a cure. Uma grad Mal's hand as she froze in the doorway, looking at Harry who seemed more pale and less like his normal energetic self. Mal gently placed her hand on Uma's shoulder as they both walked towards a weak looking Harry. When Mal and Uma got to the side of the bed, they could see the dark circles under his eyes and the beads of sweat on his forehead that had his long black hair stick to him. Uma quickly rushed over to him and took his hand in hers.

"Ben" she called out to him from where he was stood behind Evie and Dizzy "Can I use my powers, just this once ?" Uma asked and Ben looked at Mal for an answer which caused Uma to look back at the future Lady Of The Court. "please" she adds

"yea, just be careful" Mal agrees and Uma signs, closing her eyes and muttering a spell under her breathe and waving her hand in a small circle in the air.

"Uma" Mal questioned stepping towards her best friend. Uma simply waved her hand again and a large bowl filled with clear water appeared on the bedside table with a white cloth lay next to it. Uma didn't explain anything, she just picked up the cloth and soaked it in the cool water before placing it on Harry's forehead to try and cool him down.

"Carlos, have you found anything yet ?" Evie asked the white haired boy

"Yea a bit but I Uma may not want to hear this" Carlos tell the group as Uma looks back at him, with a confused look

"What is it ?" Uma asked

"It's not a human illness, its not human" Carlos explained

"Meaning what ?" Mal asked as Ben walks around the bed and places his hand on his girlfriends shoulder to ease her nerves. Carlos gulps before answering

"Well it means that someone is causing this and they are specifically targeting Harry with this" Carlos explains and the whole room descends into silence, trying to think of something until Uma places her head in her hands and starts to cry, making everyone look at her.

"My mother" Uma mutters and Mal walks forward and places her hand on Uma's shoulders

"What Uma ?" Mal asked the crying teen who looked up at her

"I told you my mothers orb and that she wanted nothing more then for me to set her free and break up with Harry" Uma says and Harry's hand freezes causing Uma to look back at him. Uma smiles at him and leans forward to give him a gentle kiss on the check "I would never do that " Uma mutters against his check and sits back down

"so what has that got to do with all this ?" Carlos asked

"My mother told me to break up with Harry and date Ben just to get back at Mal and when I told her no she also demanded me to break up Evie and Doug because my mother doesn't like Evie. When I said no to that as well she told me to do it or she would kill Evie, Mal, Ben and Harry and I guess i'm taking to long because she has already started with Harry" Uma says looking at Evie, Mal, Ben and Harry as she spoke

"You have to do it" Evie says finally

"What ? No Evie this is my fight so I wont let you guys get hurt too" Uma says sternly

"No, I agree with Evie, as much as it kills me" Mal said turning her head to lock her emerald green eyes with Ben's hazel brown eyes. "I love Ben, but i will not let my brother be hurt because of some witch" Mal says

"No, this is my fight. No one else's" Uma says sternly

"Uma i know you are going to take the blame for this but its not your fault" Mal tells her

"I know its not my fault" Uma starts, standing up "It's my mothers, and I will stop this" Uma finish's, clicking her fingers and disappearing out of dorm room leaving everyone confused and scared for what Uma could do.

 **I know it's a short chapter but I will update again soon but anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the cliffhanger. What will Uma do ? Where did she go ? And will she be able to save Harry ?**

 **Have to read to find out. So bye :)**


	13. The light at the end of the tunel

No one's POV

Uma closed her eyes and clicked her fingers as she felt a wave of energy overwhelm her body. The coldness bit at the bare skin of her arms as she opened her eyes to see a dark and empty alleyway. The pothole filled cobblestone path was covered in trash and inedible food and the walls were coated in graffiti, all of them the same design; Uma and her crew with blue tentacles coming out from behind them symbolising Ursula. Uma smiled to herself at the image, maybe she was thinking of the good days or Uma was thinking about the life waiting for her in Auradon, but her smile soon turned into a scowl as she thought back to why she was here. Her boyfriend was slowly dying because her mother was to impatient to wait a little bit longer so Uma could make a plan. Not that Uma wanted to free her mother but when Ursula threatened her friends and family,.. well lets just say that Uma would do anything to save her family. To save everyone. So with the hope of saving her family, she walked down the alleyway, ignoring the frightened looks people would give her as she strutted past them, her chin held high and her hands planted firmly on her hips. Even though she didn't have her sword with her, everyone knew that she could easily win in a fight with or without the piece of metal that was usually attached to her hip.

Uma walked down the market place, stealing a not so rotten apple from one of the stalls, and headed towards her mothers restaurant near the docks. The restaurant hadn't changed much, more dusty then normal but Uma expected that. After all, she was the only one keeping the restaurant open and working and Ursula didn't help at all so why would that change just because Uma went to Auradon ? Uma ignored the stares she was getting from the crew ,who were scattered around on various tables, and walked past them and angrily threw open the doors of the kitchen to find Ursula sat on one of the stole's in the place she was when Uma came last time.

"your back !" Ursula exclaimed as she turned to face her daughter

"Cut it out and help Harry" Uma hissed at her mother

"why does it matter if he lives or not ?" Ursula asked as she examined her long fingernails

"Because.. If you don't, I will go back to Auradon, tell Fairy Godmother about your orb and she will put it in the museum" Uma threatened her mother who chuckled

"you really want to start threatening me when I have your little boyfriends life in my hands" she concluded "I thought I raised a smart girl not an idiot " Ursula insulted

"what if I make you a deal ?" Uma asked her mother with a evil grin playing on her lips as Ursula looked at her daughter, giving her a few precious moments of her full attention

"go on" Ursula said, raising her eyebrow at her daughter

"we change plans, you leave my friends alone and I will do what ever you want " Uma says

"anything ?" Ursula questions as she gets up off the stole.

"anything that doesn't involve hurting my friends, yes" Uma confirmed and Ursula smirked

"you get the trident" she starts "and you overthrow the royal family" she continues

"okay" Uma confirms and her mother gets an idea. Ursula beckons Uma forward and with hint of hesitation, Uma walks closer to her mother. Ursula whispers Uma the rest of the demand, causing Uma to stumble back in disbelief at her mothers request. Ursula smirks evilly as Uma struggles to find the words to refuse her mothers demands.

"No, mother. I-I-I can't do that to them" Uma says in a low voice, not wanting to even consider betraying her newly reunited friends like that. Uma knew that if she did what her mother asked, it would save her friends and Harry but they would be hurt beyond repair. Mal would hate her. Evie would never stop crying. Carlos would be a mess with only Jane to help him and Jay would become broken and never let anyone in again. Uma knows that if she did this and failed then she would be sent back to the Isle, leaving Gil alone in new territory and Harry would never what to see or hear from her again. But surely Uma would not fail and then her friends would be safe.

If she succeed then Mal and Ben would be safe to live together, not as a royal couple, just as themselves with no reporters or interviews for them to worry about. Evie and Doug could be together and Evie wouldn't have to worry about her mother finding out she wasn't with a prince or someone of royal blood and she could get the happily ever after that the blue haired princess deserved with her own version of Prince Charming. Carlos and Jane would be free to be together and they could run away with Dude and enjoy their lives together as well as Jay and Lonnie, they too could run away and never look back.

But what made Uma so hesitant to go along with her mothers wishes was Gil and Harry. Gil would be alone in this new world with no one by his side and Harry would become the insane and unpredictable pirate his deranged father wanted him to become. But they would be safe a small and almost silent voice said in the back of Uma's mind, a voice of reason uma tried so hard to ignore but each time she tried to find a way out of this deal with her mother, the voice grew louder. But they would be safe the voice of reason repeated again and again, louder each time the worlds repeated themselves.

Uma was so entranced in her own thoughts that she didn't notice her mother removing a a gold necklace from around her neck. The necklace was Ursula's prized possession, Uma was told this regularly so the teen leaned to analyse the piece of metal. It was a simple gold band, much like the ones Uma stole almost every day in the past, but it was different in a very special way. The gold sparkled constantly, even at night giving Uma and the other people who saw the necklace, good reason to believe it was enchanted or had some form of magic in it. The little bottle at the end of the chain had some kind of clear liquid in it, Uma thought it was water but she wasn't quite sure. She never asked questions about the necklace, although it did fascinate the daughter of the sea witch, so when Uma locked up to see her mother twirling the small bottle in between her fingers, she didn't ask any questions until Ursula spoke up.

"This is Harry's life, one little crack and gone" Ursula explains, using the end of her fingernail to press into the little bottle at the end of the chain. Uma tried to not let her mother see how scared and upset she was that Harry right now was probably going through so much pain and no one but Uma could stop it. Uma had to stop it when she heard a faint crack of the bottle, it wasn't broken but it was cracked which was lucky.

"fine, just don't hurt him" Uma pleaded with her mother

"good girl, now go" Ursula says

"give me the necklace and then I will go" Uma demands and Ursula turned back around to face her determined daughter who was not going to back down and Ursula knew that.

"What did you just say ?" Ursula says thinking she heard her daughter wrong.

"I said" Uma said stepping forward " Give. Me. The. Necklace" Uma says slowly

"or what ?" Ursula said showing her self-satisfied smile on her red lips

"Or, I will turn into a octopus and destroy this island quicker then you can say" Uma says moving forward and whispering to her mother the next three words "the Little Mermaid"

"You are my daughter alright" Ursula muttered as she dropped the necklace in Uma's waiting hands. Uma smiles at her mother before placing the necklace around her own neck and flipping her braids over her shoulder before strutting out of the restaurant. Uma clicked her fingers and closed her eyes as the amazingly weird feeling washed over her and she was greeted with a tight pair of arms wrapping themselves around her legs. Uma opened her eyes and looked down towards a slightly crying dizzy who had her arms wrapped around Uma's legs, Uma laughed as she bent down to be eye level with Dizzy

"Hay Diz" Uma said causing the little girl to smile at her nickname

"Hay, where did you go ?" Dizzy asked and Uma signed not wanting to tell the young girl she considered family, that she went to Isle and saw her mother. Mal noticed Uma's hesitation and stepped forward, out of Ben's arms and placed her hand on Dizzy's shoulder

"Uma" Mal said, snapping Uma out of her dream like daze.

"y-yea sorry" Uma apologised, stuttering as she left her daze

"What's that ?" Mal asks, pointing towards the necklace Uma had on

"this can save Harry " Uma says carefully taking off the necklace and handing it to Mal "Can you maybe use it to help him ?" Uma asked, looking back at Harry who was paler then when she left. Evie was sat beside him, re-soaking the cloth on Harry's head to try to cool him down causing Uma to worry more about her boyfriend.

"Uma, I haven't done magic like this before. I can't guarantee that it will work and Fairy Godmother is on the other side of Auradon and no one else here has magic this powerful. I'm so sorry Uma but its to risky" Mal says handing Uma the necklace back

"No, Mal you need to help him. He is like your brother" Uma cries, pleading Mal to reconsider but Mal shock her head

"yea he is, and so if i say that this is just to risky then it is. I don't know what could happen if this went wrong and i'm not taking the chance" Mal said walking over to sit beside Harry

"Uma, Harry is my brother but I can't do anything about this. I don't know a spell and I have never healed anyone before, what if I hurt him more ?" Mal continued, not taking her emerald green eyes off of the seemingly dying Harry.

"I-I-I can help" Evie stutters causing everyone to look at the blue haired teen

"Evie its not safe, you could get killed remember" Mal reminds her

"It's okay, I promise but no one can be near me in case something happens" Evie says, standing up and taking off her leather jacket.

"Okay then well me, Gil, Ben, Dizzy and Jay will go into the cafeteria and bring up some food for you guys" Carlos says as Jay walks over to Dizzy and picks up the crying girl who instantly wrapped her arms around Jay's neck.

"Don't worry Diz, he will be fine" Evie says as she walks over to Dizzy and moves some of her brown hair behind her ear

"Okay, mum" Dizzy agrees making Evie smile and nod at Jay who leaves the room after the other boys, leaving Uma, Mal, Evie and Harry alone.

"Evie, how will you help Harry ?" Uma asked as she walked over to Harry and moved some of the hair away from his sweating forehead.

"I can heal him" Evie simply said

"how ?" Mal asked

"well, I had to ... fix myself on the Isle and I even helped you" Evie started nodding towards Mal "heal, I just did it in private" Evie finished as she moved the large water-filled bowl from off the bedside table and onto the desk.

"what no you didn't ?" Mal said as she crossed her arms in disbelief

"Uma, how long does it take for a cut on your leg to heal properly ?" Evie asked

"A month with a scar depending on the size and depth, why ?" Uma answered

"Mal, how long did that long cut on your leg take to heal fully ?" Evie asked ignoring Uma's question

"a week, oh okay now I get it ?" Mal said clicking her fingers

"Okay now stand back " Evie said and Uma shock her head

"what are you going to do ?" Uma asked

"I have good-ish magic so if my theory is correct, and i am 99% sure about it, then if I speed up the speed of the blood running through his veins his immune system would improve and with the help of my magic, we would both be able to fight the magic" Evie explains but Uma notices that she didn't smile meaning there is a 'but'.

"what could go wrong ?" Uma asked and Evie signs, looking out through the bay window.

"it could affect his drain and he could have minor drain damage "Evie says and Uma gasps

"now minor E" Mal asks

"I am no doctor but at most memory loss at least he will need to sleep more for a while but I can't tell" Evie says as she rubs her left arm with her right hand, a habit she only indulged in when she was scared about something

"Now much memory loss ?" Uma asks as she faces Harry refusing to meet the others eyes

"he could forget the new people like students or even Ben or he could forget important people like Mal or even ,and i'm sorry to have to say this but, he could forget Gil and others from the Isle" Evie explains and Mal places her hand over her mouth

"Uma, i'm so sorry " Mal apologises

"Can i have a minute with Harry ?" Uma quietly asks, the fact that she was crying clear

"Of course, me and Evie will be outside if you want us "Mal says linking arms with Evie

"Uma, I just want you to know. I love Harry like he is my brother and I will try my very hardest to save him, no matter the coast" Evie says as they leave the dorm room.

Once they left, Uma burst into tears. If Evie didn't save Harry he could die and if she did save him then he could forget people like his best friend. Uma picked up Harry's hand and kissed his knuckles gently and cried more then she ever thought was possible. How long Uma cried was anyone's guess but as she was crying, she felt Harry squeeze her hand. Uma looked up to see the dazzling blue eyes of her boyfriend looking at her with love and sadness, Uma was so thankful that he was awake that she quickly lent forward and captured his lips with hers in a love-filled kiss that she didn't want to go out of. But of course all good things must end and the kiss ended with Harry placing his hand gently on Uma's check before slowly exciting the kiss and wiping away Uma's tears that were on her check

"Hay love, whats wrong ?" Harry asked his girlfriend who was still crying

"Harry promise me you won't forget me or Gil or Mal o-o-or" Uma stutters as the tears overwhelm her again and she moves her hand to place it gently on his, that was still on her check, not wanting to finish the sentence she started.

"Hay shhhh, i will never forget anyone. Whats wrong love ?" Harry asked

"it's just Evie can save you from dying" Uma starts, speaking so quietly that she was almost inaudible to anyone but Harry

"Okay, whats wrong about that ?" Harry asked using his thumb to outline the shape of Uma's lips while still having his hand resting on her check.

"you could get brain damage and lose your memories "Uma explains quickly as the tears start to escape her brown eyes which Harry quickly stopped from rolling down her checks

"yea it could but do you know the best part" Harry asked moving closer to Uma

"What good part ?" Uma asked as he grinned at her, happily.

"That if I forget you" he starts making Uma's smile drop slightly "I will get to fall in love with you again and that will be perfect" Harry says

"but I don't want to lose you" Uma cries

"you will never lose me, okay love ?" Harry asks

"your not going to leave me " Uma whispered in a questioning tone and Harry chuckled

"never and if i do anything stupid then you can turn me into a little goldfish" Harry says causing a small laugh from Uma

"But then i can't kiss a little goldfish can i ?" Uma says leaning forward and quickly pecking him on the lips.

"are you okay ?" Harry asked Uma and she nods

"yea i'm just scared " Uma admits and Harry nods

"don't be lass, i will be fine" Harry coughs out as he hits his chest to breathe

"So, do you want Evie to help ?" Uma asked in a low tone once Harry was done coughing

"its up to you" Harry told Uma

"I want you to live but what happens if you get better and learn who did this whole thing to you and you blame the closest person to the person" Uma cries, trying to be as secretive as possible so Harry doesn't get worried

"I won't blame anyone but the person who did this, and even then. We are goody-too-shoes now so I can't do anything can I ?" Harry questions and Uma chuckles

"No we are both still wicked " Uma says causing Harry chuckle

"all the way" Harry says before leaning forward and planting a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Before" Uma starts placing her hands on Harry's chest and pushing him gently back down "this gets to heated, I will get the girls "Uma finish's, standing up and walking to the door. Uma opened the door a little to see Mal run her hand through her short hair in frustration and Evie stood in front of her with her hand on her hip, neither of the girls had seen Uma so they both continued to talk in the empty corridor unaware of the brown eyes spying

"You don't believe that do you ?" Evie asked and Mal signed

"I don't want to but isn't it suspicious " Mal answered back

"I mean yea but she can't hurt anyone. Can she ?" Evie asked her best friend

"of course she can" Mal hisses in frustration.

"Maybe she has changed " Evie suggested

"No, everything was going great until this happened and its her fault. I knew I shouldn't of left her alone with him" Mal says making Uma confused. Is she talking about me ? Uma thought as she listened more

"you didn't know this was going to happen " Evie said and her friend signed

"she warned me" Mal muttered under her breath "E she god-dam warned me this was going to happen and I ignored them all, to busy with all of this" Mal says gesturing to the corridor

"should we tell her ?" Evie suggested and Mal shock her head

"No, she has enough on her plate with all of this right now and I don't want to pressure her because she has only just came here. I don't want her running off, just get me the reports as quick as you can and i will look through them" Mal orders

"Is that the Lady Of The Court talking or the real Mal ?" Evie questioned

"It's a person worried for the safety and well-being of her soon to be people and a frightened best friend and sister " Mal fights back

"That monster can't reach her or any of us " Evie confirms and Mal scoff's

"didn't stop her this time did it ?" Mal rhetorically asked

"fine " Evie huffed and the conversation seemed to end so Uma knocked on the door and opened it wider so the two girls could see her, before closing the door behind herself.

"he said he is fine with the spell Evie." Uma said pretending she didn't hear the conversation the two teens just had secretly.

"o-okay then" Evie said looking back at Mal one last time before walking past Uma and into the dorm room, leaving Mal and Uma alone in the hallway.

"is everything alright ?" Uma asked and Mal nodded

"Just Lady Of The Court things, its nothing" Mal lied and Uma could tell she was lying

"oh, what about ?" Uma asked stepping forward

"just for cotillion" Mal said

"Oh, what is a cotillion anyway ?" Uma asked

"well its when a young women is presented to society as a young lady. It also symbolises when a women is old enough to marry" Mal explained and Uma laughed at the last part

"oh so basically these royals wanted an excuse for a party and so they made one based on a women coming of age. This place really is different to the Isle" Uma summed up

"Yea but I think its better then home" Mal signed

"how so ? You have just told me that you have to wear a massive dress for a party just to celebrate the fact that you can get married " Uma said

"I didn't say anything about a massive dress" Mal said turning her head to look at Uma who had moved to stand next to the daughter of Maleficent.

"we are talking about a Evie dress, it is going to be massive" Uma laughs

"well you have to wear one too" Mal said nudging Uma with a laugh

"Nope" Uma says shaking her head as she looks through the open door to Harry

"you have to or what else are you going to wear, sweatpants and a tank top" Mal suggested, trying to lighten the mood and make Uma forget about what was happening in the room just in front of them

"No, jeans and a tank top" Uma laughed causing Mal to do the same "but seriously, why is here better than at home ?" Uma questioned after the laughter had died down

"well for one you don't have to steal, and the food is really good. And we don't have to hide from our parents, we can just relax. Be normal teenagers for once" Mal explained

"you said about food but Evie hasn't changed much " Uma noticed that Evie had barely ate since she has came to Auradon like she did when she was on the Isle

"Evie... is a harder person to convince she is safe here. She eats more now then she did when we were on the Isle but if i'm being honest, she could eat more to be more healthy but she has gotten better" Mal said smilling at her best friend through the dorm's door.

"she seems better then she was on the Isle" Uma observed

"yea but there are times where you can see the tear stains on her checks after lunch. I hate to see her like upset like that but we all have our secrets, Evie's just has a lasting impression on her" Mal sums raising a corner of her lips at the prospect of her best friend getting better, as Mal looked through the door to see Evie looking through Mal's spell book for the right spell to cast. Like all the times Evie was concentrating, she was biting her lip and twirling a lock of her curly blue hair around her finger. She was subconsciously mumbling the words from the book as she quickly flipped through the countless pages of spells, her eyes sparkling when she thought she found something of use but her eyes quickly went back to normal when the spell was demand useless by the blue-haired teen, a habit her and Mal share along with many others.

"she knows what she's doing, right ?" Uma asked to no one in particular

"yea, i have taught her everything I know " Mal answers and Uma nods

"He will be okay, he will be fine" Uma mutters under her breath and Mal gently reaches for her hand and gives it a small squeeze for reassurance

"He will be fine, he is strong "Mal says and Uma smiles

"I know he's strong it just frightens the life out of me" Uma admits and Mal smiles

"Of course this will scare you, it just means that you love him and that you don't want to lose him. You being scared is actually a good thing believe it or not" Mal laughs

"why is it such a bad feeling then ?" Uma asked, curiosity getting the better of the daughter of the mad sea witch, Ursula.

"i don't know but Belle always said that all good things come after a lot of bad things, that's what makes them better then the bad things, it's because they are new" Mal wisely says

"Wow, Belle sounds amazing " Uma notes and Mal chuckles

"Yea, she's smart too. I'm glad she is always there for me" Mal says

"maybe that's who changed you then " Uma says, nudging Mal in the side playfully

"What ? I haven't changed " Mal lies

"really ?" Uma says looking Mal up and down while raising an eyebrow "You are wearing a dress" Uma said, gesturing to the purple dress the daughter of Maleficent was wearing

"Okay, you have a point" Mal laughed "But you have changed too" Mal notes

"How so ?" Uma asks already knowing what Mal was going to say

"On the Isle, you would of never admitted that you love Harry and-" Mal starts but was stopped by a blinding blue light coming from the dorm room, the force of the blow knocking over the two teens and causing them both fall to the ground. Mal hit the ground first, because she was standing closest to the door, and she passed out next to Uma who was rubbing her head and slowly sitting up.

"Mal" Uma quietly says as she looks around the empty hallway until her eyes land on the passed out fairy next to her "MAL" Uma shouts as she makes her way over to the teen and starts to shake her shoulders trying to wake her up.

"Help anyone" Uma shouts down the hallway, trying to get anyone's attention "Come on, Mal stay with me" Uma says as she shakes Mal's shoulders. Uma checks Mal's pulse and signs as she feels a pulse. A very weak pulse but a pulse none the less.

"Mal, come on. Please Mal" Uma pleas, tears rolling down the young teens checks as she looks at her unconscious friend. Evie came running out the door, a smile on her face that immediately disappeared at the sight of her best friends limb body that was being held by the daughter of Ursula. Evie gasped as she ran over to Mal and dropped to the ground, silent tears running down her rosy checks. She slowly looked up to Uma as if silently asking the question that no one wanted to even consider

"she's alive" Uma said through her tears

"Thank Zeus " Evie says as she moves some of Mal's purple bangs away from her face and behind the young fairy's ear.

"What was that ?" Uma asked referring to the blue light that happened only moments ago.

"The spell, it worked" Evie tells her as she moves to sit in front of her friends and places her hand on Uma's shoulder, making the teen look at the blue haired girl in shock which turned to happiness at the next three words Evie uttered "he is awake". Uma smiled as the tears escaped her dark brown eyes, which she had given up trying to stop.

"he is fine and healthy, and the spell worked. Harry is okay, Uma" Evie says as Uma nods

"Thank you, thank you E" Uma says reaching over and hugging Evie. Evie smiled at her nickname, knowing that it was a sign that the daughter of Ursula was becoming her friend again and that they were on the right track

"You can go see him if you want" Evie muttered over Uma's shoulder and Uma released herself from the hug and looked down to the non-moving body of her friend in between the two crying teenagers. Evie smiled, reaching over and taking Mal out of Uma's arms and nodding reassuring Uma she was fine with looking after Mal. Uma nodded back at the blue haired princess as she slowly got up and walked over to the oak door of the dorm room. Uma took a deep and twisted the door open and stepped inside the dorm room to see...


	14. Happily Ever After ?

Uma took a deep breath and twisted the door open and stepped inside the dorm room to see Harry sat peacefully on the blue bed, looking out of the bay window past the green tourney field and at the ever-blooming trees of the enchanted forest where, hidden in the viridescent greenery was the enchanted lake where Mal and Ben had their first date. Harry was yet to realise Uma was in the room,so the pirate began to sing quietly a song she was all to familiar with, because she taught him it when they first meet, and it gave Uma the smallest bit of hope that Harry is alright.

"There was a time when I was alone   
Nowhere to go and no place to call home  
My only friend was the man in the moon  
And even sometimes he would go away, too"

Harry continued to sing softly as Uma closed the door quietly behind herself, careful not to disturb the singing pirate or to scare him. The room around Uma seemed to be lighter, the sun shinning brightly through the same windows the son of Captain Hook was looking through. The wooden floor seemed a lighter colour then when Uma was last in the room only minutes ago, and the wall's were now a light blue instead of the midnight blue that coated the walls when Uma had first arrived in Auradon. The fire place seemed more welcoming and all together the room seemed larger then the suffocating space Uma had grown to be accustomed to. Uma listened to her boyfriend singing a little while longer, just thankful that he was fine and back to his merry ways already, until he came to the end of the song finally tearing his eyes away from the outside world and towards the daughter of the infamous sea witch, smiling as his eyes landed on his girlfriend. 

"Hi love" Harry greeted causing Uma to chuckle slightly at the nickname as she wiped away the tears that were flowing down her rosy checks. 

"Hi, how are you feeling ?" Uma asked, not moving from where she was stood in front of the oak door 

"Good, you okay " Harry replies, his thick Scottish accent coming back

"yea i'm fine" Uma said as a large smile crept its way to her face at the sound of Harry's accent coming back into his voice, stronger then it had ever been.

"Is everyone else okay ?" Harry asked and Uma stepped forward a bit at every word 

"Yea, Mal should be fine" Uma said and Harry nodded 

"What about the others ? How's Dizzy ?" Harry asked as Uma walked forward, slightly laughing at the worried tone in his voice when he asked about the little brown haired girl all the new students had grown to love. Harry moved over on the bed, giving Uma enough space to sit down next to him, when Uma sat down, Harry moved closer and sat up, playing with the tips of her braided teal hair

"Dizzy was crying when she left the room but i think she will be fine now. Gil acted tough but i think he was really scared so was Jay and Carlos" Uma tells Harry

"What about Evie and Mal ? Are they both okay ?" Harry asked, the worry never leaving his voice which made Uma smile. He was still the over-protective and caring pirate she had grown to love and admire, even of the Isle. 

"Mal was knocked out by the blast of the spell but she if fine and Evie is also fine. Evie looked a little tired but apart from that everyone is perfect, you scared us through" Uma said causing Harry to sit up further a plant a gentle kiss on Uma's check making her already pink checks go a deep crimson colour. Uma tried to hid the blush by moving her hair from behind her ear to hide her checks but Harry moved her hair away from her face

"you are so beautiful, don't hid it" Harry sweetly says causing Uma to blush more 

"I've missed this" Uma whispers and Harry nods in agreement 

"yea, me too" Harry agreed, moving his fingers up and down Uma's arm 

"wonder whats going to happen to us here" Uma wonders out loud 

"What do you mean, love ?" Harry questions as he kisses up Uma's arm 

"I mean are these royals going to turn me into the next Mal with fake hair and pastel colours. With royal duties and stressful interviews and are they going to make you the next Ben, suites and tidy hair" Uma says running her hand through the pirates untamed hair.

"Never" Harry says taking Uma's hand's in his and kissing them both "If they ever try to change your fashion or your amazing hair, then i'll hook them" Harry ensures 

"thanks Harry" Uma thanks, resting her head gently on the pirates shoulders 

"I love you so much" Harry mumbles into Uma's hair as he kisses the top of her head

"I love you too" Uma mutters back, closing her eyes as Harry sits up properly and moves Uma onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist as she places her head on his shoulder breathing in the sweet sent of sea water. Harry chuckles as Uma yawns, unconsciously snuggling closer to the pirate. Even through it was the middle of the day, Harry was more then happy to let Uma sleep assuming that she would need to relax after the events that have taken place in the last twenty-four hours. So being the gentlemen Harry was, he sat still and let Uma sleep, never once moving in fear of waking her up or disturbing her seemingly peaceful sleep. Every once in a while, Harry would kiss the top of his girlfriends head smiling as she snuggled deeper into his dare arms.

A small cough moments later brought Harry out of the trance he was in, his head automatically rising to see Evie stood at the door, half of her face covered by the oak wood. Evie gave him a small smile as she closed the door behind her and walked closer to the pirate, careful not to wake Uma. Harry noticed the tear stains on Evie's checks, the redness and puffiness of her eyes and the way her hair was thrown into a ponytail with two strands falling beside her face, and came to the conclusion that she had been crying only minutes ago.

"Hay Harry" Evie greeted as she slowly sat next the pirate and his sleeping captain. 

"Hay Evie" Harry greeted back

"You okay ?" Evie asked after a minute of comfortable silence 

"Yea, are you ?" Hary asked. Evie looked at him before turning to look at the floor to hide the smile creeping up onto her already blushing face

"Just got out of a deadly situation and still caring about other people "Evie noted causing Harry to chuckle quietly so Uma stayed asleep. 

"Of course, your my friend and sister. I care about all of you" Harry says causing Evie to look back at him, a smile tugging at the end of her red lips. "How's everyone doing ?" 

"Mal is with Ben outside, Carlos went to get Jane so she could make sure you and Mal are okay, and Jay and Gil are waiting outside" Evie explains and Harry nods 

"What about Dizzy ?" Harry asked, the worry coming back into his voice. 

"She is with Mal, but she won't stop hugging me or Ben or Mal because she is worried about you. She has stopped crying but i don't know what to do" Evie admitted as she placed her head in her hands and placed her elbows on her knee's in frustration 

"You're a 17 year old high school student in a loving relationship that takes up half your time and the other half is being taken over by school and your job, and on top of all of this you are going to be a guardian to a little girl in four month's. You are doing more then any person here so if you a stressed then it is understandable. Just don't beat yourself up over it" Harry told Evie, who was running her hand through her blue locks. Evie didn't really believe what Harry said. Evie really loved Dizzy like they were biologically related, so Evie didn't want to think of the day that she couldn't help Dizzy, the day she couldn't make her feel better or the day she couldn't save her. But in front of Harry, Evie didn't want to worry about everything like that. So like countless times on the Isle, Evie put on a brave face and ignored the stabbing pain in her chest whenever she thought about Dizzy leaving. 

"that's the problem, what if i can't make time for her and she leaves ?" Evie mutters. Although, Evie was putting on a brave face, she couldn't stop the question coming out before it did.  

"Your forgetting that she has Mal, Ben, Jay, Carlos, and me, Gil and Uma" Harry says looking down to see Uma smiling in her sleep, looking calm and happy. 

"I never really did thank you for helping Mal back on the Isle" Evie starts as she looks back up at Harry who simply shook his head and smiled 

"don't mention it, really. My sister needed help so we helped, that's all" Harry shrugs 

"no, i'm not thanking you for taking her " Evie started, making Harry tilt his head to the side in confusion "I want to thank you for talking to her, for helping her when we could not" Evie said reaching over and taking Harry's hand in hers and squeezing it lightly. 

"your welcome, you are a good best friend and sister to Mal so don't bring yourself down because when Mal needs you most, you will be there "Harry calmly says. The two teens sat in comfortable silence, still holding hands as the two look at the sleeping teen in Harry's arms. Harry had one arm around Uma's back to support her as she snuggled into him for warmth, the cold breeze coming from the open windows in the room making goosebumps appear on the exposed skin on Uma's arms. Evie smiled as she looked down at Uma, moving a piece of braided teal hair away from her face, her smile widening when Uma smiled and shock her head like a newborn baby trying to sleep peacefully. 

"I will go and tell the others you are okay so you and Uma can have some sleep before everything gets to hectic" Evie suggests as she stands up and dust's off the imaginary dirt off of her outfit. 

"Okay, but make sure to take care of yourself "Harry tells Evie who smiles in response. 

"Always "Evie says running her hand through Harry's hair before leaving the room. Harry signed as he looked down at Uma, planting a gentle kiss on top of Uma's head before standing up and resting Uma back down onto the matres and moving the blanket over her. As Harry was about to walk away from the bed, a gentle but firm hand wrapped it's self around his wrist.

"Please don't leave" Uma muttered, looking up at her boyfriend through her long eyelashes. Harry only nodded, sitting back down on the bed. 

"Never in a million years, love" Harry muttered back, kissing the top of Uma's head as she closed her eyes and lade her head back onto the blue and gold pillow.

* * *

Evie carefully closed the oak door behind herself, careful not to make a sound, and turned around to see Mal sat on the floor, her back against the wood panelling of the hallway wall, holding Dizzy in her arms while Jane looked at the purple bruise that was starting to form on her forehead from where she hit the floor. Ben was lent against the wall, his hand running through his light brown hair as Jane began to mutter important information to help Mal,under her breath trying to find the best way to get rid of the bruise. Jay, Gil and Carlos were stood of to the side, trying to remain calm as they looked at their purple haired friend on the floor with a large faint bruise covering half of her face. 

"Should be fine, the bruise will go naturally in around a week or two, but for cotillion you can put some makeup on to cover it. No magic to hide it though, your human self is weak so your magic will be unpredictable and unsafe" Jane told the group, standing up as she looked at Ben and nodded. 

"Thanks Jane" Mal thanked, running her hand through the end of Dizzy's hair. 

"Your welcome, but have any of you spoke to Harry ?" Jane asked. Evie coughed, getting everyone's attention, and stepped forward to be level with Jane.

"Uma is asleep and Harry is fine" Evie told the group, who all let out a breath of relief they didn't know they were holding. 

"Okay, whats the next move ?" Mal asked, causing everyone in the empty hallway to look at the purple haired girl with confusion. 

"I think i have a plan " Evie started, drawing everyone's attention to the blue haired teen "We can't talk about this in a hallway, meet in mine and Mal's room in two hours" Evie orders, earning nods of agreement in response from all the other teens 

"okay well, me and Ben need to go other some things " Mal told the group, looking up to her boyfriend and nodding 

"Okay, well we will meet up in two hours, no later" Evie says. Mal stands up and walks away with Ben, whispering to each other as they went, Carlos and Jane walk to the cafeteria to get some food while Gil walks around the school for something interesting. Evie walked past the only remaining teen, trying to stop the tears from escaping her brown eyes. Jay gently grabbed Evie's arm, stopping her from walking any further 

"What about Dizzy, i'm guessing that she can't hear this conversation ?" Jay whispered 

"Jay, i am begging you to just give me some space. Can you look after Dizzy ?" Evie whispered back, trying not to let her voice break. 

"why ? Where are you going ?" Jay asked, his voice low so Dizzy didn't hear them 

"Somewhere to just clear my head " Evie said back, causing Jay to raise his eyebrow asking her for more information "I can't tell you where exactly but i will be back" Evie promised 

"Just don't leave, keep your phone on you and on loud speaker" Jay advised 

"always the big brother "Evie said trying not to let the tears fall from her eyes 

"Promise me that you will come back and keep your phone on" Jay sternly said 

"Jay" Evie warned 

"Evie, come on. I lost one sister, i'm not losing the other" Jay told her

"Fine, i promise to come back" Evie signed 

"thank you" Jay thanked letting go of Evie's arm 

"Keep Dizzy occupied, don't tell her i'm gone, and do not tell her about the meeting" Evie sternly ordered, looking back at Dizzy who was playing with the end of her hair.

"Okay, see you in two hours" Jay told Evie, walking towards Dizzy and kneeling down to her level. 

"I love you, baby-girl. Never forget that" Evie muttered before turning her head back to the hallway and strutting off, trying to find answers to the million questions running through her mind.  

* * *

Mal and Ben walked inside Ben's office. The office was almost exactly like the guest room; wood covered walls lined the room, the blue carpet muffled the sound of footsteps as Ben walked over to the window's, pulling back the blue curtains lined with gold thread. The fire's crackling was the only sound in the room, filling the room with a sense of warmth and happiness.  

"Whats wrong ?" Ben asked, noticing the scared and angry look on Mal's face

"Harry was spelled" Mal says simply, moving to sit in Ben's chair as she went through some of the files on the oak desk. 

"Yea okay, so whats so important about that ?" Ben asked as he stood behind the chair, looking at all the paper work Mal was looking through 

"it is important because Fairy Godmother has records of people who have used magic on the Isle" Mal tells Ben who was more confused then before 

"Yea, how is this important again ?" Ben asked and Mal signed 

"Because, Uma vanished somewhere. Meaning "Mal started, dropping the document she was reading and turning to her boyfriend "there is a chance that the person who wants Harry dead is on the Isle, with a large amount of power" Mal explains 

"Okay well there are hundreds of people are on the Isle" Ben explains slightly confused at his girlfriends sudden mysterious behaviour 

"yes, but only a a hand full who want to hurt Harry or Uma and even fewer who have a lot of magic" Mal explains 

"who are you thinking ?" Ben asked, pulling a chair from the corner of the room and sitting next to his girlfriend who's attention had returned to the paper work 

"well four people" Mal said as she picked up a document and read it "No make that three" she corrected as Ben nodded 

"Who ?" Ben asked 

"Okay, well Gaston" Ben cringed at the name but Mal continued as she lent back in the chair "Gaston never liked Harry because he always stole Gil's attention and Gaston hated Uma because she didn't marry Gil, well he never got over it and always hated the couple with a passion" Mal explained and Ben nodded, putting his head in his hands as he ran his hand through his hair in frustration. 

"but he has no magic "Ben argued and Mal nodded 

"No but he does have powerful people in his clutches, i believe the fates are under his spell so to speak" Mal explained, twirling a piece of her purple locks between her fingers. 

"okay what about the other too ?" Ben asked, curiosity getting the best of him. 

"well The Evil Queen has power and because Uma owns her half of the Isle, the queen may see it as a threat" Mal says and Ben nodded once more

"but did she hate Harry ?" Ben asked and Mal scoffed 

"of course not, she always wanted Harry to marry Evie because although he isn't royalty; he was the closet thing to it on the Isle" Mal explained 

"So the last one ?" Ben asked, raising a eyebrow at Mal's worried face that only seemed to grow in fear 

"The last one, has magic, is close to Uma enough to know her weaknesses and will use them against her for a way of that rotten Isle " Mal explained 

"Okay who then ?" Ben asked and Mal signed 

"The only one who is willing to hurt their family for freedom " Mal started, leaning forward to whisper the name that sent shivers down any sane persons spin "Ursula" 


	15. Leaving ?

Walking down the cobblestone path of the rose garden, Evie took off her leather jacket not caring about the freezing breeze that surrounded her, and tied it around her waist. The royal blue tank top underneath the jacket exposed her bare arms to the biter weather of the autumn but she refused to put her jacket back on. Evie wondered what her mother would say if she saw her now; hair in messy curls that reached the bottom of her back, her makeup imperfect and her outfit unfit for the princess she was to wear. But the blue haired teen didn't care for there was more important things for Evie to think about. Doug. Her friends. Dizzy. A tear escaped the dark brown eyes of the princess at the thought of the little girl she had grown to love more each passing day. When Jay had made Evie promise to come home, Evie honestly didn't want to. It was a terrible thing to do, Evie knows that, but she figured that if she didn't come back then someone else like Belle and Adam, would look after Dizzy and most likely do a better job then Evie would ever do.

So as the princess walked down the cobblestone path, looking at the red roses that littered the grass next to her feet, she thought of all the pro's and con's to leaving. Dizzy would get a family that could help her to grow up to be the amazing women Evie know's Dizzy can be but Dizzy would be heartbroken that her longest friend had left. Mal, Jay, Carlos and the others would probably go after her like Evie did for Mal, and Evie doesn't want to think how Doug would react but considering the fight they had, she doubt's he would care massively.

Evie continued to walk down the path, her feet aimlessly taking her in a unknown location but Evie didn't care anymore. After walking for a couple more minutes the glass walls of the library came into view. The library was the modern part of the school, the walls were made out of glass that let the students sitting at the picnic tables see into the four story building filled with books ranging from fairy tales to history of pirates to the laws of the kingdoms. Evie knew the library like she knew her makeup kit, spending almost all of her free time in the building to read the pages of knowledge bound in leather and learn information in her wildest dreams she never thought she would know.

Before Evie even know what she was doing, her fingers were skimming over the leather spins of the books, choosing a book she would gladly get lost in and escape the harsh reality of the situation that she plunging into. Picking one of her favourites 'the princess and the frog', Evie chose a quite armchair in the corner of the library next to the blazing fire. She opened the large book and was immediately teleported into a new world full of talking frogs and spell casting villains where true loves kiss was the only way to break the spell.

As Evie was so transfixed in the book that she didn't notice someone sit on the chair in front of her until the figure coughed, causing Evie to look up through her long eyelashes to see the last person she would expect to want to see her. His mint green suit was missing the jacket and his shirt was half un-tucked, his hair was the messy and untamed kind that drove Evie crazy and it still had the same effect and the way his lips curved into a small smile melted her heart every time.

"Hay Evie, are you okay ?" He asked, causing Evie to snap out of her dream like daze.

"yea, thanks Doug" Evie thanked, a slight blush creeping up to her checks "how are you ?"

"I'm just worried" Doug said, causing Evie to panic. Evie placed her book down on her lap to give Doug her full attention, silently asking him to continue

"What about ?" Evie asked and Doug smiled more at the worry that lanced her voice.

"You" Doug said and Evie signed wondering if her being worried was so obvious

"Is that right ? Well as you can see i'm perfectly fine" Evie started but her speech was cut short by the way Doug raised his eyebrow at her, telling her not to lie.

"You're not fine. Your hair is messy telling me that you are worried about something, your eye shadow is slightly smudged so you have been crying or about to cry and you never go outside with a jacket tied around your waist in autumn so you are worrying about something "Doug analysed making Evie smile at how charming and protective he was being

"maybe" Evie challenged, leaning forward to be closer to Doug "maybe not" Instead of responding, Doug just studied Evie's face. The way her smile faulted to reveal a frown when she said she was fine. The puffiness and redness of her eyes. But the thing that scared Doug the most was that Evie wasn't looking him in the eyes, she was looking over his shoulder something ,Doug remembered, she never did unless something was bothering her, in their relationship.

"What's wrong ?" Doug asked Evie who just looked down in response.

"Everything "she muttered causing Doug to be more worried. Evie was always the most confident one of the VK's. She never muttered, in fact she always spoke in a loud and confident voice, a voice some of the royals have trouble not following. So Doug figured that if the strong girl he fell in love with wasn't acting like her usual bubbly self, then something very serious was wrong.

"Like what ?" Doug asked, trying to help Evie

"Things with my friends. Dizzy. You" Evie replied not moving her eyesight from the floor. Evie didn't want to tell Doug about how she was debating leaving because she knew if she did right now, Doug would think the worse and ask a million questions that Evie didn't really want to answer. She had it all planned out: text the group when they were together, go to Fairy Godmother and ask for her to help her and then spend some time there while Evie worked through the stuff that was floating through her head.

So Evie made a decision that however this conversation with Doug went, she would still go to Fairy Godmother and follow the plan but she would just spend a shorter amount of time alone.

"Okay well lets start at the beginning :your friends. Whats wrong with them ?" Doug asked

"They are okay but i can't help them anymore. I can't protect them here. Mal has Ben, Jay has Lonnie, Carlos has Jane and Gil has Uma and Harry. They are all fine and they got their happily ever after and i know that should be a good thing but... why does it feel like something else is going to happen and i wont be able to protect them like i used to "Evie confessed, never taking her eyes of the floor until the end, letting Doug she the tears threatening to spill from her dark brown eyes.

"Nothing will happen to any of your friends. Remember your not on the Isle, things can go right here without something bad happening after it. All of your friends have new people in their lives but they will always need you by them" Doug says, taking Evie's hands in his.

"no they won't, i can barely stop my own relationship from falling apart let alone help my friends when they need me" Evie tells Doug, returning her eyesight to the floor. Doug signed, placing his finger under Evie's chin to make her look at him.

"I'm here and i am never ever leaving again, okay" Doug promised and Evie nodded

"Okay" she agreed.

"Now, what else is wrong ?" Doug asked and Evie signed

"How can i look after Dizzy ?" Evie asked him

"You have people in your life who will gladly help you. Mal, Ben, Jay, Carlos, Fairy Godmother and me. I am never going anywhere again. I don't care if you hate me, i am never leaving you in that position again" Doug promises making Evie smile

"thanks Doug "Evie whispered, not even trying to stop the small tears from escaping her eyes. Doug lent forward and wiped away one of the tears, leaving his hand on her check as she lent on it, bring her hands up to hold his not wanting the moment end.

"And the last worry ?" Doug asked after a minute of looking into the sparking eyes of his girlfriend.

"I was scared that you would hate me for telling you to leave "Evie whispered

"I could never hate you, so are you okay now ?"Doug questioned

"Yea, i'm fine" Evie insured leaning forward and placing a small kiss on Doug's check. "thank you Doug. For everything "Evie thanked

"I didn't do anything but talk to you" Doug insisted. "what you reading ?" Doug asked after a minute of silence passed between the couple.

"The Princess And The Frog" Evie replied simply as she picked up the book from her lap.

"Okay well i will let you carry on "Doug started as he got up from the chair and kissed Evie's forehead before almost walking away if it wasn't for the gentle but firm grip on his wrist

"or you could stay" Evie offered and standing up from her chair to be face to face with Doug

"okay then" Doug agreed sitting back down and gently pulling Evie into his lap with her legs dangling over the arm of the chair as Evie snuggled further into his chest. Evie opened the book and started to read as Doug looked over her shoulder to see the text, every once in a while Doug would kiss Evie's neck making her giggle or sign with happiness. _You can't be happy now_ a stern voice in her head said _you are leaving him in one hour_ The voice reminded her making her sign and stop smiling.

"whats wrong ?" Doug asked against Evie's neck as he kissed it again

"what would you do if i left for a bit ?" Evie asked running her hand through Doug's hair and gently pulling his head up to stop him from kissing her neck.

"I don't know" Doug admitted "i would be heart broken but i would be better if i knew you would be coming back "Doug finished making Evie sign.

"well what if someone left but they didn't know when they would be back only that they would be back and they still texted and called their friends, how would you feel?"Evie asked

"Depends on who the person is "Doug said as he kissed Evie's neck again

"Your girlfriend" Evie muttered making Doug stop kissing her neck.

"where are you going ?" Doug asked tightening his grip around Evie's waist as if he was trying to stop her from going anywhere without him.

"I don't know but i can't stay here for another minute longer then i have too. I'm not going to the Isle that's for certain, I would rather leave forever then go back to that hell. But i was going to ask a friend for help. Doug you know me, i can't lie to you so when i say that i'm coming back soon, i mean it" Evie insisted, closing the book and placing it on her lap as she took Doug's hands in hers.

"Why ?" Doug simply asked

"I just need to talk to someone who gets what i'm going through. No one here apart from one person does, but please don't tell the others i want to tell them" Evie pleas

"okay, i trust you but text me everyday and call me if you need anything" Doug says as he places several kisses down his girlfriends neck.

"I will" Evie promises "but i have to go pack, i only have an hour" Evie whispered, tears slowly making their way down her rosy checks.

"okay but do you have to ?"Doug innocently asked against her skin

"I have too or i wont have time to pack but i will ring you soon" Evie says tilting her head to the side

"okay, i love you" Doug said as he released his arms from around her waist letting her get up. Evie got up and wiped away her falling tears before turning back around and kissed Doug lovingly on the lips. Doug kissed back with so much love that it took Evie by surprise but she gladly accepted it. Once the need for air became to much, Evie and Doug sadly had to pull away and had to say goodbye

"I love you" Evie said

"I love you too" Doug replied before Evie sniffled and quickly walked away, trying not to let Doug see the tears rolling down her checks. Evie quickly walked out of the library and down the path, letting her hair fall around her face as she looked down while she walked so none of the students could realise she was crying.

* * *

Within 15 minutes, Evie had arrived back at her dorm and was packing her things ready to leave. Evie didn't pack much; clothes, toothbrush, hairbrush, just normal everyday things. She packed all of the things into a small enchanted bag that had unlimited space. It was the first thing she ever put a lasting enchantment on, and with the help of her purple-haired best friend, the enchantment stayed on. The memories of the two girls laughing and joking in their dorm room as Evie failed to enchant the bag, brought Evie close to tears as she looked at the bag that was floating next to her. _Maybe i could stay_ a small sound voiced her thoughts in her head making the princesses shake her head

"They don't need me here right now. Uma has Harry back and safe, Mal has Ben and she will never let him go again, Carlos has Jane and they are happier then ever, Jay has Lonnie and they love each other even if they won't admit it and Gil has his friends, he could find someone special" Evie whispered, trying to convince herself that leaving would be for the best for everyone involved "And i'm coming back, i can call and text them everyday" Evie reassured herself as she looked around the room one last time.

 _They will be worried sick about you !_ the voice of reason sounded in her mind. Evie wiped away the tears that were on her rosy checks as she walked over to the desk and picked up a pen, trying so hard not to let the tears fall onto the paper, knowing her friends would notice and it would make them worry more. They always did worry about her and Evie wasn't stupid, she may of acted like that but she wasn't. She knew that Mal had saw the tear stains on her checks on some of the worst days but Mal didn't say anything instead she was more protective over everyone, especially her sister and that made a sickening pain in the princesses stomach start to form. There she was trying to find the right words to write on the paper so she could run away for a while and make all her friends worry only to come back later on and expect everything to be fine.

"They are strong, they don't need dead weight like me on the team when all i'm going to do is cry and hold them back" Evie cried as her hand started to write on its own, words that came from her deepest memories and nightmares. One's she promised to never tell anyone about, but although there was a rubber sat neatly next to her, she didn't make one move to erase the words believing that if her heart wanted to overwrite her mind and write the words, that for once she would let her heart take control.

Overall Evie wrote seven letters. One for Doug which was the easiest to write. One for Uma and Harry, one for Jay and Lonnie basically telling them to be together or she would poison apple them making her laugh as she wrote it. She wrote one for Gil and Ben, telling Gil to be happy and that she hopes he finds someone and for Ben to look after her sister. One for Carlos and Jane, hoping they were happy and that they loved each other the way Evie knew they did. One for Dizzy that told her to be good and that she loves her, and the last one that shattered her into a million pieces, now not caring about her tears landing on the letter addressed to her sister. Mal.

Evie didn't bother to re-read any of the letters knowing that her heart couldn't make a mistake about things that involved her friends and family. She didn't even notice her hands slowly moving towards the heart and crown necklace Mal had gotten her after they faced Maleficent at Ben's coronation until there was a weight lifted from around her neck causing her to look down at the necklace in shock. She had promised Mal that she would never take the necklace off and the promise only grew when Mal made a small diamond ring appear out of the air. Evie could remember the moment perfectly as Mal slide the ring on her finger, the rings diamond was in the shape of a heart but there was a crack going down the middle separating the blue diamond from the purple diamond symbolising the strong bond the girls had and that they completed each other, never being able to live with out the other

It was too much for her. Not in the way that Mal felt under pressure and that it was too much for her to handle, no in someways it was worst. Evie didn't have as many royal duties as Mal but the ones she did have, like helping Ben understand the isle, were important and could effect the whole kingdom if she made a bad choice. And on top of everything she had to tell Ben that Mal went back to the isle, she had to see her strong best friend break down in her arms because she couldn't handle all the pressure Evie felt like she was mostly responsible for, and she had to see her sister being strangled by a hooded figure before, who ever it was, jumped out of the window and seemingly disappeared into fin air. No it was all to much.

"Everything that has happened because of me, Mal running away because i put too much pressure on her, Mal getting knocked out because i couldn't perform a simple healing spell" Evie cried as she places her head in her hands on the desk, running her hand through her long blue hair. Evie then remembered all the times her and Dizzy would be sat on the sofa, with Dizzy cuddled into Evie as they looked though Evie's design book trying to get Dizzy to sleep, and Evie remembered the faint smile on her lips as she flipped though the book noticing some new designs that Dizzy had made. Evie never commented on it, knowing that there were more and more designs as time passed and Dizzy started to get her own fashion sense, but the blue haired girl honestly didn't mind she actually liked stepping into the salon to see Dizzy hunched over the desk as she matched different fabrics, picking out the fabrics that matched the others and removing the ones that didn't go with the colour scheme of what ever the young designer was making.

Evie sat the necklace on Mal's note, wanting her best friend to know that she was coming back but then the sparkle of her diamond ring caught her eye. The ring was a simple gold band with a small diamond but as Evie had learned when she came to Auradon, never judge something based on its looks. The ring although it was beautiful, was extremely deadly. It was a gift from her mother, the only gift The Evil Queen gave her that didn't enhance her beauty or help her find a prince, instead the ring helped her in dangerous situations. The diamond was a dark blue shade that turned a red colour whenever the power was activated. The power was that if Evie was ever in a deadly situation it could save her if she wished it too but her mother warned her that she would have to pay a dangerous price. A price Evie vowed to never pay, that she would rather die then pay but she also remembered the other half of what her mother told her

 _"if you don't wear the ring and the person who is in danger and uses the power, then you will still have to pay the price so look after it"_ The Evil Queen had told her daughter. Evie sat the ring on Dizzy's note, hoping that the young girl would never have to use it, before picking up her bag

"i'm so sorry" Evie muttered as she looked over the room one last time before going over to the door and leaving the room with tears in her eyes and on her checks. Evie walked down the corridor and down the grand staircase towards some body who can help her.

* * *

"Come in" the voice called out from inside the office. Evie took a deep breathe and pushed open the oak door and stepped into the room. The room had oak panelling that reached half way in the wall, the other half being coated by a light blue paint that made the room warm and inviting, the opposite of how the teenage princess was feeling as her eyes landed on a very cheerful middle aged woman sat on the furthest side from the door at her oak desk.

"oh, Evie what a pleasant surprises" the woman says in a shocked tone as she stands from her paper filled desk to greet the young girl "please have a seat". Evie does as she's told, taking the closest leather armchair and sitting down, her right leg resting on her left as she placed her conjoined hands on her knee's.

"Thank you Fairy Godmother" Evie thanked as she took a sharp breath in, wondering how to say the next sentence without scaring the head mistress and making her ask to many questions "I need your help"


	16. The girls letters

Two hours later, Mal and Ben had finished talking and were walking down the long corridors towards Evie and Mal's dorm room. Mal and Ben had just finished discussing when they were going to tell Fairy Godmother about Uma, Harry and Gil along with Dizzy coming to Auradon from their home, the Isle. The royal couple decided to tell the head mistress after they spoke with Evie and the others to make up a better game plan as to not scare the fairy. Mal and Ben reached the dorm room door, with Mal unhooking her arm from Ben's and taking her key from her purse and unlocking the door. Much to Mal and Ben's surprise the room was empty, no one was there.

"Where's Evie ?" Ben asked as Mal walked over to the desk to see the folded pieces of paper addressed to Evie's friends

"Ben call everyone to come here now" Mal ordered as she picked up her letter.

"Why ?" Ben questioned as he took out his phone

"Just call them" Mal demanded. As Ben started to ring everyone, Mal took out her letter and opened it.

 _"Dear Mal,_

 _Please do not worry about me, i'm fine and safe"_ At this Mal signed in relief that her sister was okay _"I just need some time. I know we have been doing magic lessons and you say i'm doing great but, truth is i'm not. I could of seriously hurt you and everyone else today and for that i'm am incredibly sorry. All i have ever done is try and keep you safe and okay and now i was the one to hurt you, something i will never let myself do again. Please know that i am not going back to the Isle, i would never put my family in a situation where they had to go back there, just know that i'm safe and i will come back, that i promise._

 _I beg of you to look after Dizzy, care for her until i get back because i know you can. But also remember that you are a teenager, so go on dates with Ben and watch the sunset, do things you have told me you have always wanted to do. Do stop acting like a leader for once and please act like a teenager. (Do talk to Belle, she really wants you and her to be friends)._

 _Finally, please look after my necklace. I made a promise to you that i would never take it off, and if i have hurt you by breaking that promise then i am sincerely sorry for that but i wanted you to have it; to hold it and know that i WILL be coming back to put it back around my neck and never take it off. Of that i'm sure. Please give Dizzy my ring, my mother gave it to me, said it had life saving magic. I hope that Dizzy will never need to use it but if it comes down to it, forget the price i will pay and use it. I love you guys so much, please remember that everything i do is to protect you all._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Your little sister, Evie xx"_

Upon reading the last line and knowing that Mal was to late to stop her sister from leaving, she broke down. Tears fell from her dark green eyes as Mal clung onto the letter, hoping no praying that it wasn't real but it was. Clear as day for everyone to see, Evie, the glue of the whole group was gone. For how long, Mal had no clue and that's what scared her the most. Her little sister was gone and no one had a clue where.

The opening and closing of the dorm room went unnoticed by Mal until she felt a pair of gentle hands on her shoulders causing the purple haired girl to turn around and engulf the small frame in a hug, burying her head into the persons neck as they rubbed circles on her back.

"Ben what happened ?" Uma asked as Mal clung onto her shoulders more forcefully, scared that Uma was going to get ripped away too.

"I don't know, she told me to ring you guys and when i turned around she was shaking" Ben explained as he ran a hand through his hair in a clear sign of cluelessness as to what has his girlfriend so upset. Uma nodded as she wrapped her arms around Mal's neck trying to calm the teenage girl down.

"Hay, i need you to tell me whats wrong" Uma whispered to Mal

"She's gone, shes really gone" Mal muttered as she tried to control her cries, taking short and small breaths that made Uma think that she was going to fall. Uma slowly lead Mal over to her bed, sitting her down and grading a small teddy on Evie's bed and giving it to Mal who graded it and hugged it close to her chest as she placed her head on Uma's shoulder and cried more then she ever thought possible.

"Who's gone Mal ?" Uma asked quietly as Ben walked over to the same desk Mal was looking at and picked up the letter addressed to Mal. He quickly read it and shot around to be meet with a confused looking Uma. Ben walked over and sat on Evie's bed, opposite Mal and Uma, and handed Uma the letter. Uma quickly read though the letter, tears filling her drown eyes once she had ended. Uma looked down at Mal and hugged her closer, resting her head on top of Mal's as she moved her fingers through the purple locks of the almost sleeping teenager.

"Hay, it's going to be okay" Uma whispered "she will come back and she will be safe"

"Read your letter" Mal mumbled the command in a sleepy voice "and then tell me that everything will be okay"

"Ben can you pass me my letter ?" Uma asked making Ben nod. Uma lied Mal down on the bed and walked over to Ben who held the letter out to her. Uma smiled a sad smile and took the letter out of Ben's hands before taking a deep breath and opening the letter.

 _"Dear Uma,_

 _I'm guessing that you have already seen Mal's letter and known the basic of what i'm about to say. You already know that i have left and no i can't tell you where. As much as i love you guys ; i really hurt Mal today and i'm so sorry for that but i know you won't rest until you guys find me. And i know i would do the same in your place (i did) but please know that i'm safe. I am just leaving so i can practice my magic and keep everyone safe and no you can't use your necklace to find me, i used a hiding spell so you can't use it on me. I have my phone on me so i can ring you guys and you can ring me but i don't want to be near any of you guys just yet. My magic could of killed Mal and i refuse to hurt anyone again._

 _Uma, please take care of Mal and be the leader i know you can be. Take care of everyone and reassure them that i'm fine. I want you to take special care of Mal, i know how bad she is taking this and for that tell her i am so so incredibly sorry but i can't hurt her anymore then i have already have. Tell her that her cotillion dress is ready and that i made some changes that i think she would enjoy (she can breath in this one) and to have an amazing time, i will watch it on the television. I made you a dress last night when i woke up in the night; its next to Mal's in my office (ask Doug if you can't find them) but try and distract Mal so she has a good time, she is becoming the Lady Of The Court and i don't want to be the reason she hates it._

 _I hope you and Harry are okay and everyone else and that you go to cotillion and just smile. Because if i watch cotillion and i see one unhappy face then i will spell you guys when i get back._

 _I love you all, thank you for being such an amazing friend Uma,  
From _

_Your little sister and best friend, Evie xx."_

After reading the letter, Uma felt a surge of confidence run through her body as she turned to face Ben who was knelt next to a slightly snoring and whimpering Mal. Uma would of usually found the fact that Mal was snoring in her sleep funny but adding the fact that she was whimpering made Uma more then determent then ever to speak to Evie weather in person or on the phone.

"Ben" Uma called out, grading the young kings attention "I need your phone"

"Sure" Ben agreed and after hearing the demanding tone Uma used, he knew it was important. Ben reached in his pocket and pulled out his blue and gold phone before chucking it to Uma who caught it and started scrolling through his contacts for Evie's number. Ben went back to taking care of Mal while Uma walked out the dorm room and out into the empty corridor. Uma pressed the call button and after four beeps heard the sniffling sound at the other end of the line.

"Hello" Evie answered on the other end of the line, sounding tired and like she had been crying for days which only made Uma more scared

"Evie, thank the heavens. Where are you, we need you here and Mal is having a melt down and i'm not sure now to stop it" Uma frustratingly lists causing Evie to butt in

"Calm down Uma. Now whats up with Mal ?" Evie asked sounding worried

"She started crying and hugged me tightly when i came in. She didn't go to Ben or anything and she is shaking a-a-and she's asleep n-now but s-she's whimpering and kinda kicking and Evie she needs you" Uma was full on crying at the end of her explanation

"Uma breath. You need to go to Mal and wake her up okay ? She is having an nightmare and if it continues she could lose control of her powers and hurt someone" Evie starts as Uma runs back in the room and repeats everything Evie is saying to Ben who starts to shake Mal's shoulders gently as to not scare her

"Okay, just breath Uma. I need you to breath" Evie orders

"Why did you go ?" Uma asked, never once taking her eyes off of Mal and Ben

"I told you. I am not putting any more of my friends in danger" Evie sternly explains

"You saved Harry and Mal. You helped Dizzy and made everyone feel safe even when you didn't say anything. We need you here" Uma exclaims as Mal starts to wake up

"No you don't. You have never needed me there. Mal had Ben, Carlos had Jane, Jay had Lonnie, you have Harry and Gil has everyone. You don't need me" Evie sighs

"Evie, you are the only one who can help Mal when she has nightmares, you are the only one who can save Harry or any of us when we are in trouble-" Uma starts but Evie cuts in

"No!" Evie exclaimed " I caused Mal to get hurt, i flung you across a corridor. I could of hurt the whole school and i haven't stopped having these thoughts whenever i think back to that moment. The moment i saw Mal's limp body in your arms and i knew that i wasn't as good as i let out to be. I hurt my best friend, she could of broken a bone and many other things. You don't need me because if i'm gone then you don't get in danger. I'm not a goody too shoes like i made myself out to be. I must be evil if i hurt the people i love"

"You know that's not true and you know it" Uma argues as Mal slowly sits up in the bed, looking concerned at Uma as to who she was talking to and almost crying over. Uma mouths 'Evie' making Mal nod and stretch out her hand for the phone "Mal whats to speak to you"

"Do not put Mal on the phone Uma. I can't because i'll break and come back" Evie sternly says but by the time she had finished, Uma had handed Mal the phone.

"Evie, please tell me you are okay" Mal orders making Evie sign

"I'm fine, how are you ?" Evie asked, concern ringing through her voice

"I don't care about how i am right now but where are you E ? Please come home, i need you" Mal begs

"M, you know i love you so much. I have always wanted whats best for you and i have never wanted you to know about my past. You all see me as some innocent, weak girl who has never had to fight for anything in her life, who had three meals waiting for her at home and that's the reason she gave you her food. But it wasn't M, i didn't want you to worry about me anymore then you already did" Evie cried making Mal cover her mouth so she didn't cry out loud

"E, I love you too but i can't do this whole Auradon thing without you, you know that. You were the one to help me when i wanted to quit, even when i treated you so terribly when we first came here and even on the isle and now i wish i never did so i could have more memories with my sister. You heard me right ?!" Mal exclaimed, trying her hardest not to cry then and there. Ben moved closer to Mal and sat next to her on the bed, running his hand up and down her leg in a way to calm her down as he whispered soothing things to his girlfriends ear in attempt to clam her down so Mal didn't say something she would regret.

"You are my sister. You will always be my sister an-" Mal continues but Evie cuts in

"You are my sister too M, i will always love you so much but i hurt you. I will never do that again so until i can control this magic, i'm not coming home. I will not lose my sister or brothers because i hurt them or worse. Now Mal i need you to do something for me please" Evie pleaded, her voice breaking as tears began to roll slowly down her rosy checks.

"Anything" Mal quickly replied placing her hand on her chest to tell herself to calm down

"I need you to go to cotillion and have a good time there. I promise that i will watch it and i will be the little annoying voice in your head telling you not to trip when coming down the stairs" Evie jokes causing Mal to chuckle slightly.

It was a weird habit Evie had. Even in the most serious of situations, everyone could rely on Evie to make them chuckle ,maybe not laugh depending on the situation, but she had a talent for making people happy. Its one of the things Mal loves about her sister; she made her laugh even when Evie was helping Mal cover her newly required burns or cuts from her mother. Evie never really laughed at her own jokes because she believed that if she did, Evie wouldn't get to hear the amazing sound of someone she loves giggling at the stupid pun or joke she had just said.

"See, i will never leave you M. Now, i need to go but please remember that i love you okay? No one is going to stop me from loving my family but Mal just because i'm not there doesn't mean that you have to worry. So when i hang up, hug Ben and just sleep and i promise tomorrow morning, you will wake up to a very long morning text from your sister. But you still need to act like a human so eat breakfast and every other meal that you can, do everything you love doing okay ? Don't do what you did when we lived on the isle when something was wrong please " Evie begged

"Okay" Mal whispered "E, promise me that you will come back"

"M, i promise, now come on. It's almost time to sleep and you have a lot to do tomorrow so get some sleep" Evie said, sounding like a over protective mother which made Mal smile

"Okay, goodnight E "Mal signed

"Goodnight M, love you sis" Evie replied

"Love you too baby sis" Mal chuckled causing Evie to copy.

"bye big sis" Evie said goodbye and Mal heard the loud beeping noises indicating that Evie had ended the call. Mal signed before handing Ben his phone and playing with the little teddy bears ear that had been peacefully resting in her lap the whole phone call. Ben dropped his phone on to the bedside table and moved to sit next to Mal, who quickly wrapped her arms around Ben's middle and twisted her legs with his as Mal rests her head lazily on Ben's chest, snuggling closer to him for warmth. Ben pulled a thick blanket over Mal's shoulders, running her fingers through her long purple locks as she starts to close her heavy eyelids

"Ben, i'm going to take the letters to the boys room. We can all sleep there because i think Mal wants to be alone with you and i don't really like the idea of her being alone after that nightmare" Uma decides as she walked over to the desk and started to pick up the letters, reading the names until she reached Ben's letter which just so happened to be the last one in the pile

"Okay, well after Mal is asleep fully i will go to my dorm room and change if i can" Ben plans as he ran a hand gently down Mal's check making her sign contently in her half sleep and snuggle closer to Ben.

"No, y-you stay here all the time, i-i don't want her alone but B-Ben there's a letter for you and Gil, what do you want me to do with it ?" Uma asked making Ben nod at the information

"I thought Evie would do that; give Gil the letter and i will read it after he has" Ben arranged making Uma nod

"Okay well i will take care of everything. You just stay here with Mal "Uma sweetly said making Ben nod in a silent thank you. Uma walked out of the dorm room and down the long wooden corridor's and towards the boys room.

Mal smiled warmly at her boyfriend who planted a gentle kiss on her forehead as she signed in contentment, _If only Evie was here_ Mal thought sadly, her smile faulting as she looked up at Ben who had never taking his eyes off of her.

"She will be back, i promise. And i can talk to Fairy Godmother to see if she knows anything if you really really want to talk to her in person but i don't think Evie is ready" Ben signed

"I know and i can still talk to her on the phone and text her but it just wont be the same" Mal told Ben

"I know, but at least we know she is safe and not in harms way" Ben reassured his girlfriend

"Was everyone like this when i went ? Crying and being scared because all i can think about is if E is okay" Mal signed making Ben chuckle

"Well Evie came in almost crying but she had been crying before she came into the room" Ben starts to explain as Mal snuggled closer to Ben.

"How did you know ?" Mal whispered, sleep clear in her voice as she spoke.

"I saw some tear stains on her checks, her eyes were puffy and red things like that but she didn't really seem all that into it. Sometimes she just started into the limo's seats, ignoring whatever plan Carlos or Jay were trying to make up. She was better when we saw the hideout being close, she knew that we could get you back home but she was still slightly shaking. She didn't want you to leave her forever" Ben continued

"But she looked better when she saw you were happy. She will come, Mal" Ben concluded, silently laughing as Mal lightly snored in response. Ben smiled down at his girlfriend kissing her head lightly before looking out the bay window to see the yellow tint in the sky as the sun began to set, preparing to descend all of Auradon Prep into a dark, star filled night that just didn't seem right to Ben with Evie gone. Sure he knew that a person going missing doesn't change the way the night looks but having a lovely warm night when everyone was panicking about one of their friends, just doesn't make sense to Ben as he looked at the faint stars starting to show against the orange blanket.

One of Ben's best friends had left and the stars were brighter then they had ever been in his whole seventeen years of life. _Gods_ Ben thought amusingly _They have a weird way of_ _showing remorse or that everything is going to be_ okay.

* * *

As Mal drifted off to a memory- one filled with laughs and smiles with her best friend as they climbed across the broken roofs of the Isle's homes, stealing what little good food there was- Uma was reaching out towards the gold handle of the boys room, rubbing the letters envelope between two fingers as she signed, opening the dorm room door. Uma entered the room and smiled at the sight, for a moment forgetting about the problems in her hands.

Harry was sat comfortably in the desk chair, a giggling Dizzy cuddled up to him as he tickled her; the sound of laughter making Uma smile as she closed the door behind herself. Jay, Carlos and Gil shared a smile as Dizzy giggled loudly, trying to get out of Harry's grasp

"H-H-Harry" Dizzy giggled, her eyes scanning frantically around the room until they landed on Uma who was lent against the bed frame. "U-U-Uma"

"Harry, come on leave her be" Uma giggled making the pirate sign and stop tickling the younger girl who quickly jumped out of his hands and ran towards Uma. Uma picked up Dizzy and placed the young girl on her hip who quickly wrapped her arms around the teenagers neck as she stuck out her tongue at the pirate.

"I win, told you she would be on my side" Dizzy exclaimed making Uma look at an amused Harry in confusion

"Dizzy made a bet with me saying that you loved her more then me and to prove it she said that if you picked her up, then you love her more" Harry explained

"Well we can't lie with that know can we" Uma laughed making all the boys smile at her

"Whats that ?" Dizzy asked, referring to the small stack of letters in Uma's hand. Uma's smile turned into a slight frown which quickly chanced into a fake smile when Harry shot Uma a worried look. Uma nodded at the pirate who quickly stood up and walked over to his girlfriend- the other boys in the room following - and looked at the address on the letters as Uma extended her arm out so the only person to see the handwriting and names was Harry.

Harry looked at Uma with a sad look to which the captain shock her head- a silent dismissal of his hopeful thoughts that his blue-haired friend was in her dorm room fixing a outfit, planning a picnic for her and Dizzy or just sleeping but no she was gone- and all it took was one look at the elegant handwriting on the envelope addressed to the pirate and his friends for Harry to slowly take the letters out of his girlfriends hand, making sure to leave Dizzy's ring and letter in Uma's already slightly shaking hand.

"Lets give the lass' some time" Harry turns his attention towards the rest of the boys who all gave him a confused look but agreed non the less. The boys quickly said goodbye to Uma and Dizzy and left the room- telling Harry that they would be in the empty dorm room next to Jay and Carlos' room. The empty room was a simple bedroom that contained two beds, a desk, a wardrobe and a large TV that was mounted to the wall. The girls had planed that when everything was back to normal and Uma, Gil and Harry started to take classes in Auradon Prep, they would get rid of the separating wall between the two rooms and turn it into a hang out for the whole gang and a living quarter for the four boys- giving the group of VK's an area in which they feel safe and welcomed in, despite the unsafe and hostile island they grew up on.

"Harry just be careful with what you say. It is Jay and Carlos' sister" Uma suggests quietly

"She is our sister too and trust me on this- just take care of Dizzy" Harry says

"Okay" Uma agrees leaning in and lightly kissing Harry on the lips. Harry smiled into the kiss as the couple heard the disgusting noise of Dizzy who was still being held by Uma. Uma smiled and pulled back, smiling when she looked at a blushing Dizzy. Harry said goodbye to the two girls by bowing and leaving the room- descending the dorm room into a comfortable silence.

"So whats wrong ?" Dizzy asked, Uma smile quickly turning into a small frown as she sat down on Jay's bed with Dizzy sat comfortably on the teens lap and her arms draped around the girls neck loosely. Uma signed as she placed the letter next to her on the bed but kept the ring in her grasp, slowly bringing it up into Dizzy's view.

"Diz, this is Evie's ring and she wanted you to have it for a while" Uma explained, moving the ring onto Dizzy's finger- it was a little big but still fitted the girls finger enough that it wouldn't fall off with out help- Dizzy gasped in shock and looked up at Uma who had small tears forming in the corner of her dark brown eyes.

"Dizzy i have a letter for you that Evie also wanted you to have" Uma then handed the small girl the letter with her name wrote on it in elegant gold writing. Dizzy smiled at Uma before carefully ripping open the envelope and unfolding the letter making Uma hold her breath as she read the words over Dizzy's shoulder:

 _"Hay Diz,_

 _Firstly, please know that i love you and that that fact is never going to change. I just have to go away for a while but it is not because of anything you have ever done. My magic is getting to strong for me to control it easily and i don't want to hurt anyone any more then i already have._ _You may be wondering why i gave you my ring so please let me explain. That ring is magic, it will save someone you love if they are in danger but be careful how you use it. I wish i was there with you but i don't want to hurt you or anyone else._

 _I want you to listen to your aunties and uncles and everyone else. If you ever need me just get Uma or Mal to call me and i will be there for you. I promise that i will text you everyday before you go to sleep and before you wake up so you never feel like i have abandoned you because i will never do such a thing. I love you like you were my own family and that will never change._

 _I have spoke to Fairy Godmother and explained all the new VK's arrival and i have explained everything else. So Dizzy i want you to go to Mal/Uma/ or both and ask them to take you to my studio where you will find three dresses. The one on the end is yours for cotillion because Fairy Godmother accepted my request of you taking my place for cotillion; meaning you get to walk down a red carpet and have a party with all the royals and enjoy all the best things about Auradon Prep. I will be watching and i am so proud of you, Diz._

 _Promise me to tell everyone to be less sad that i'm gone because i want to see my family having a good time tomorrow afternoon in their amazing outfits and having a great time with the people they love._

 _Finally, i am trusting you with the biggest and most precious thing to me;_

 _You._

 _I need you to be a brave and strong girl and hold you head up high even when you are crying because you are the most beautiful, strong and caring young lady i have ever had the privilege to know and call family. I will always love you but i just have to go away for a little bit but everything will be okay, i promise._

 _I love you Diz,_

 _E xx"_

As Dizzy and Uma finished reading the letters, all Dizzy could do was hug Uma and cry. Knowing someone you love is gone is the worst pain in the world but for someone you consider a second mother to you to be gone is a pain that is un-describable and something you wouldn't wish on even your worst of enemies but for Dizzy it seemed worse. As Dizzy clung onto Uma in a tight embrace, all the little girl could think about was the fact that Dizzy wouldn't see Evie in Zeus knows how long.

Uma hugged the girl tightly as she ran her fingers through her light brown hair that was flowing down her back, shushing her quietly with each sod and shaky breath.

"She will be fine. Evie will come back and i promise" Uma starts making Dizzy look up at the teenager through her tear filled eyes "that she will be safe and as soon as she comes back, all of us will go on a nice picnic at the beach, yea ? How does that sound ?"

"With ice-cream" Dizzy muttered in response making Uma nod, smiling at the hopefulness that was starting to return into the girls voice

"Double chocolate and if you ask Mal nicely" Uma drops her voice into a whisper making Dizzy giggle at the secretiveness "maybe she will bring some strawberries along with us. But you will have to eat them quick before she does"

"Yea" Dizzy chuckles making Uma smile

"How about we go to the studio and check out our dresses for Cotillion ?" Uma suggests

"I can go ?" Dizzy states in a questioning tone

"Yes, Evie said you can so you can" Uma agreed making Dizzy nod."Okay, lets go find the dresses"

* * *

Uma and Dizzy entered Evie's studio where she worked on all of her extravagant dresses, suits and caps. Pieces of brightly coloured fabrics covered the carpet and dresses in air-tight bags were hanged on the trolleys in the corner of the large room. The desk was covered with half finished sketches of gowns and suits, all of which had the name of the buyer and where the items of clothing were kept at the bottom of the page. The walls were covered with hanging photo's of Evie and her family.

One was of Mal and Evie, smiling and giggling on a courtyard bench while Doug and Ben were sat either side of their significant girlfriend, looking at Carlos ,who was taking the picture, with complete boredom which made the picture even more funnier to Uma. Another was of Evie and Doug, the princess was posing for a selfie while Doug kissed his girlfriends check making a faint blush appear on Evie's checks.

Uma did notice a constant in the various poses and people Evie had in the photos hanging on the wooden walls; she was always smiling, giggling or just having fun. Weather she was wearing makeup or not, weather she was in her PJ's or the most elegant of dresses; the teenage princess looked happy. She looked as if she was about to squeal with happiness and that thoughts alone made Uma smile as she let go of Dizzy's hand to close the door as the other girl walked over to the desk and looked at the drawings.

"This says that our dresses are in the corner rack" Dizzy reads and turns to a small rack in the corner where three dress bags were carefully hung with names tags assigning the dresses to their owner. Dizzy walked over to the rack and toke off two dresses and placed them on a empty space on the desk that Dizzy had made when she was looking at the sketches.

"This one is yours" Dizzy hands Uma a bag and smiled at the older girl before turning to her own bag and unzipping it, gasping at the colourful design on the teal ballerina dress. The whole dress was a cyan colour with elegant swirls of pink and green at the edges, it didn't have any sleeves and had a lace design running along the heart neckline. Overall the dress fitted Dizzy's colour scheme perfectly and matched the diamond necklace and tiara that were placed in a clear zip-lock bag that dangled from a string from around the hanger. The diamonds encased within the necklace and tiara were a transparent cyan colour and the tiara looked more like a flower crown then the usual royal tiara, with the gold bands winding together to look like vines and the diamonds hidden within the vines were like flowers.

"It's beautiful Diz" Uma commented, smiling at the young girl before turning her attention back to the unopened dress bag. Dizzy's smile soon faded when she saw that Uma didn't make one move to open the bag and see her dress

"What's wrong ?" Dizzy asked as she walked closer to Uma

"Nothing" Uma signed, picking up her dress and wrapping it around one of her arms "I will look at it later but for now why don't we go see the boys"

"Okay" Dizzy agreed, taking Uma's unused hand in hers and walking out the door. Uma closed and locked the door after she turned off the light and held Dizzy's hand in hers while they walked down the hallway and towards the boys room.

Uma didn't really want to see her cotillion dress because if the plan with her mother worked and Uma was unable to stop her, then there wouldn't be a Auradon to celebrate in. Uma knew her mothers plan but what her mother didn't know was that someone was going to stop her and that these two people were the people that Ursula would never expect: her own flesh and blood.

Ariel and Uma were going to stop Ursula and save the day. All Uma needed to do was get Ariel's trust and together they were going to stop Ursula from destroying Auradon.

 **More of the plan is starting to get revealed and i can't want to see you guy's reaction to the whole plan. Please comment and review so i know you are enjoying the story and please tell me what you want to happen next. I am also on a week break from school so you will get more chapters then normal but the next chapter will be manly about how the boys react to Evie being gone and where Evie has gone. Lonnie and Jane will be in the next chapter as well as a new character with powers and the ability to help Evie control her own powers.**

 **But what do you think will happen to Evie ? Will she be save with this new mystery person or will something happen where Evie has to choose between learning to control her powers or returning to Auradon Prep with some news of her own ? And will the mystery person tell the VK's where Evie is when they start to get desperate or keep their promise to the daughter of the Evil Queen ?**

 **Please tell me what you think in the comments and thanks for reading !.**


	17. The last goodbyes but the first hellos

"Bye big sis" Evie replied before pressing cancel and ending the call with her sister, Mal. A single tear ran down the girls face as she put her phone back in her pocket and smiled to herself in the mirror, realising that she may of done the right thing by telling Mal that she would text her later.

A small knock sounded on the door which made Evie spin around and tell them to come in. A blonde haired, middle-aged women walked into the room wearing a light blue dress that reached her nee's and had a sweetheart neckline and a elegant lace design that Evie could remember designing which brought a smile onto the girls face. But that quickly disappeared when she thought about who helped her design the dress:

Mal. Mal helped Evie design the dress that the queen was wearing and something tugged at the girls heartstrings at the thought of the purple haired teenager that she had just spoke to.

Evie shock her head to get rid of the thought before looking back at the queen who had on her blue crown and was holding a tray of teapots and cookies. The queen had clear skin and natural rosy checks that matched her warm smile; the same real smile Evie was sure all the other queens had but it looked extra reassuring on her.

"I thought you may like some cookies" the queen spoke, walking over to the large sofa in the middle of the room and placing the tray on the glass table in front of the sofa. Evie smiled at the queen and walked to sit on the same sofa as the queen, twiddling her thumbs as she looked down to where her ring usually was.

"Whats wrong ?" the queen asked, smiling at the young girl

"Well, i have magic but i can't control it and i know you had the same problems and was wondering.." Evie trailed off, looking at the floor in embarrassment that she couldn't control something she was born with and should have full control over.

"If i would teach you how to control it" the queen finished, nodding in understanding "Well, what can you do?"

"I can heal, i know that, but apart from that i don't know" Evie asked, moving her hands away from the queen in case she hurt the queen. The queen saw the movement and backed away slightly, wanting the teenager to feel comfortable with her before they started practising Evie's magic.

"You should think i'm stupid" Evie muttered "I can't control something that is part of me"

"I couldn't and i almost killed my sister and plunged my kingdom into a eternal winter when i couldn't control my powers" the queen smiled "You're not stupid Evie. In fact i think you are really, really, smart and brave to come to someone for help"

"Thank you, Elsa" Evie thanked "It means a lot"

"Your welcome" Elsa replies "Now, what have you told your friends ?"

"How did you ?" Evie asked causing Elsa to chuckle

"I have meet you before Evie and i know what your smile looks like and this" Elsa says making Evie look up at her fully "is't it"

"I wrote notes for my friends and just explained that i wanted some time to think and that i was safe" Evie explained "I didn't think i could leave if i saw their faces but i promised them that i would text them everyday and call them if i really need them or if they need me"

"Okay, well you are welcome to stay here if you want" Elsa suggested

"No its okay i can just use my fashion money and get a hotel. I don't want to be a bother, i just wanted to ask if you could teach me magic" Evie replied

"I insist, i don't like the thought of you wasting your well-earned money on something when you could very well just stay here. And anyways, you will be safer here then outside and it will let us practice more" Elsa argues

"Thank you" Evie thanked

"I believe you brought everything right" Evie nodded "Okay well you can have the quest room. It is next to a small empty room so you can still do your designs and make your outfits"

"Thank you" Evie repeated

"And there is a wardrobe to put your cotillion dress in so it doesn't get wrinkled" Elsa adds

"I'm not going" Evie muttered

"What" Elsa asked in shock

"If i go i will see Carlos, Jay, Harry, Uma and Dizzy and Mal, i just can't do that" Evie muttered

"Evie" Elsa started "You have been in Auradon, what seven months now" Evie nodded "So what has made you choose now to try and control your powers ?"

"Harry was dying and no one knew how to save him when i remembered a spell Mal showed me when we were younger, in her mothers spell book. I manged to save Harry but i also manged to hurt Mal and Uma in the process" Evie whispered causing Elsa to gasp

"Oh, Evie" Elsa gasped, moving closer to the princess who flinched, not wanting to hurt the queen or anyone else. Elsa slowly backed away but still remained closer then she was before, much to concern of Evie.

"Uma was knocked down by the blast of the spell and Mal was thrown into a wall, knocking her unconscious for a bit. She now has a large bruise on one side of her face thanks to me and my stupid spell. Luckily, no one else was hurt but they could of been" Evie mutters

"All i can think about is if Dizzy was there? What if Carlos or Jay or Gil were there and what if Ben was there ? What if the spell didn't work and I was the one to kill Harry, not the spell but me! I will never forgive myself for what happened because thanks to me, Mal is now hurt, Dizzy will most likely feel alone and the boys are probably worried sick about me" Evie exclaimed, putting her shaking head in her hands while she silently cried

"Every time i think of going back or when someone comes near me all i can think about is the look of horror edged into Uma's face while she held my unconscious sister in her arms. How can i be good when i hurt someone in my own family ?" Evie cried

"I asked the same thing when it happened to me. My sister was stood frozen on a ice covered lake and i honestly thought i killed her" Elsa starts "but i didn't. My little sister is now a healthy princess with one beautiful daughter and one handsome son and a loving husband. She survived because of the love and goodness in my heart that melted away the snow. Not because of some Prince Charming or potions, she lived because i realised my mistake and fixed it"

"I have seen my own daughter deal with the unknown capability of her powers and the look of horror on her own face when she almost lost control and hurt people and it scared me. To know someone you love is having this invisible war with themselves and possibly losing is the hardest thing to watch because that war is the difference between living a good magic-filled life or not living but not dying either. I am specking as a mother who was scared for her daughter but you are sister and what i have heard a soon-to-be mother to a ten year old girl"

"Dizzy" Evie chocked out

"Yes, so i completely understand your worries when it comes to your magic but you will sort everything out. Dizzy sounds like an amazing young girl and your siblings are truly an inspiration to everyone, hero and villain. But that little girl is most likely scared out of her mind. Moving to a new place and then having a parent-figure in her life leave for who know's how long is not something many ten years can go though"

"I am doing what i think is best for Dizzy. On the Isle there was this person who hurt Mal. If i learn to control my powers enough i could stop that from happening again and maybe learn who hurt Mal" Evie explained

"What happened with Mal ?" Elsa asked causing Evie to sign

"Someone came into our hideout and almost killed her by strangling her. Luckily, i came up to the hideout and i think it surprised the person because they fled but i left a terrible bruise on Mal's neck. If i control my powers i can find that person" Evie explained

"Do you have any idea with who it could be ?" Elsa asked

"Yes barely anyone knew about our hideout, not even our parents. Only us four, Dizzy and a couple of other people that were in the highest rank" Evie replied

"Rank ?" Elsa said confused

"Mal was the queen of the Isle and we were her kinda council. Any new rule Mal wanted to install or any area she wanted to take other went through us first before anything happened. The hideout was where we spent most of our time; planing and scheming to get a bigger part of the Isle back from rival gangs so for safety Mal made a rule that no one could know about our hideout. It was a place where we could heal and regain strength without looking weak. Of course, people like Dizzy found out but Mal was okay with that, she knew me and Dizzy were like family so Mal thought that if i had someone to look after i would remember to look after myself too" Evie explained

"My mother wasn't the best in the world and because of that, the only family i have ever had is Mal, Jay and Carlos and when Dizzy came along she became reliant on me. It wasn't easy on the Isle and when your friends are getting hurt too and come to you for help because they think that you have an okay life, well i didn't want them to worry about me so i gave them my food and never let on about my home life" Evie finished, tears building in her own eyes as well as queen Elsa's.

"Mal saved a lot of children from their homes, she set up secret areas on the Isle that the parents didn't know about and in areas where the minions couldn't find so the child was safe. And even through Mal was supposed to be a villain, she never once charged the kid or made them do anything like fighting to earn safety. To Mal, if you were hurt then you deserved a place to stay. They were everywhere on the Isle thanks to Mal and it saved a lot of kids of all ages. It didn't matter if they were older then Mal or younger, they still respected Mal enough to call her Queen Of The Isle Of The Lost" Evie concludes

"I'm so sorry Evie" Elsa apologised making Evie shake her head and wipe away her tears before they ruined her makeup that she spent so long on. _Old habits die hard_ Evie thought .

"It's okay, i just... have never told anyone about my past. Not Mal, not Jay or Carlos and most defiantly not Dizzy. The only person i have told is Doug and even he doesn't know the full truth" Evie replies "I need to know who hurt my sister and stop them"

"I will help" Elsa reassured "But don't you think that your friends will be worried about you"

"I mean yes but they have each other. They don't need me right now" Evie muttered

"I think they need you more then they need anyone else in the world. All your friends may be in relationships but in the end, they will always come to you for help" Elsa reassured Evie who smiled in response.

"I'm sure they are fine without me" Evie replied

* * *

"She wouldn't go, she couldn't" Jay paced up and down the unused dorm room before stopping and sitting on a bed, holding the unopened letter in his hand as he ran his unoccupied hand through his messy hair in frustration.

"Maybe she went for a trip" Carlos tried to reason, his voice shaking as he spoke which didn't give Jay and Gil much hope that their blue-haired best friend was coming back soon. Weather Carlos said it to reassure the other boys or himself, no one knew but as Carlos signed and sat back down in the desk chair, everyone knew that the white-haired boy was upset and angry at himself for not knowing that Evie had left sooner.

"Come on lad, she's gone" Harry argued as he lent on the wall next to the door.

"Have any of you opened your letter ?" Gil asked from where he was on the bed in front of the one Jay was sat on. All the boys were holding their unopened letters, already knowing what the letters were gong to say and how the were going to react.

"No, not yet" Carlos answered making Gil sign

"Well, Evie always treated me like the smartest person in the world and i want to know what she said so.." Gil trailed off as he opened the envelope and began reading out loud his part of the letter.

 _"Dear Gil_

 _Hi, i am so sorry for this but i just needed to leave for a bit. Please don't be upset and instead focus on the fact that i will come home. I don't know when but i will come home and i will never leave again. I don't want you to worry about me so instead please be the amazing uncle i know you can be to Dizzy and help Uma and Harry, i know they will need it. Don't be scared of Harry, he is harmless but do tell him that if he touches my makeup (or my eyeliner! ) then i will hook him!_

 _I'm leaving so i can practise my magic and get better at it so i don't hurt anyone. I hurt Mal and Uma and i could of really hurt Harry and tell them for that i am so sorry and i will never do that again. I hope you are happy in Auradon and have a great time at cotillion (You'rs and Harry's suits are in my room waiting for you) I made them last night)._

 _I hope you are okay and happy. Please look after my family, i'm trusting you. I told Uma that she needs to be leader but i want you to secretly look after her (of course Harry will look after Uma but someone need to look after him too) so please look after both of them for me until i come back._

 _I love you so much, your like a big brother to me,_

 _E,x"_

"Only Evie can make a joke at a time like this" Harry laughed causing everyone else too follow his lead

"That's Evie for you" Carlos agreed "Who wants to go next ?"

"Not me" Jay and Harry replied at the same time, making Carlos nod and start to open his envelope

"Here goes" Carlos muttered

 _"Hi Carlos,_

 _Firstly, please don't be mad or upset with me for leaving. Or for not telling you about my magic. I didn't want to put you guys in danger (well anymore then i already have). I hurt Mal and Uma and could of really hurt Harry, something i promise to never do again. I am just leaving for a bit to control my magic and then i will come back._

 _I need you to do something for me, C. I need you to look after Jane and Dude and not to push people away like you have in the past, let people in please. For me. I want you to help everyone, be there for Mal and Uma and Jay, Harry and Gil but also have a good time at cotillion._

 _Ask Jane to cotillion. I know she likes you too and that she really wants to go with you. Just ask her! If i do not see you two at cotillion then i will poison apple you when i come back. I know i may be sounding like an overprotective big sister but because of all the times you have hugged me while i cried on the isle about a boy, i want you to be truly happy just like Mal and Harry (Tell Jay to ask out Lonnie please !). I'm sorry for leaving but i'm safe and you can always ring. I will text you everyday asking for some check-ups on everyone but apart from that, i just want some time please._

 _I love you so much, Carlos. You are my little brother who i will always love_

 _E,xx"_

"She left to protect us all" Jay muttered making all the boys nod in agreement

"Yea, she always protected everyone" Gil agreed, smiling at the memories him and the blue-haired princess shared. In every memory, Evie was smiling at laughing at Gil's jokes as they tried to secretly study for school, which Gil was badly failing but managed to pass with the help of Evie's tutoring lessons at her broken castle.

"Okay, well that leaves mine and Harry's" Jay signs looking at the pirate and nodding

"Fine i guess it is my turn" Harry signed, opening the letter and reading it out loud

 _"Dear, Harry._

 _Firstly, touch my makeup or eyeliner and i will poison apple you when i get back. Now that it over, hi. (I hope that made you laugh or at least smile) :)._

 _But anyway, sorry i have gone but i just couldn't hurt you or my family anymore. I believe that you have already heard Jay, Carlos and Gil's letters and are probably trying really hard not to shout or scream and try and find me but please don't. Harry, you are my family and because of that i need you to look after everyone with Uma and help my family. Pay extra attention to Dizzy please, and take her to cotillion with you and Uma._

 _Uma and Dizzy have most likely already seen their dresses but you can't until cotillion night and i want you and Uma to take Dizzy and look after here. Smile, laugh and have a great time and i will watch on the TV, don't worry about the interviewers, Dizzy will probably be more then happy to answer their questions about your outfit. Your suit is in my studio and i really wish you the best of luck._

 _Tell Mal to try and have a good time, Mal has went to party's without me and i'm sure she can go to this one without me too. I love you all and i hope you have an amazing time but i have to go._

 _You will always be my big brother, Harry. Never forget that._

 _LoveE, xx"_

"We are getting her back" Harry said in a low and calm voice, threatening to hurt anyone who had harmed his little sister. Carlos and Gil nodded in agreement while Jay opened his open letter but didn't read it out loud as the other three started to talk about places Evie could of ran off to.

 _"Dear Jay,_

 _Hi, Jay. I'm guessing that you already know that i have left and you know what the other boys letters say so i won't repeat it because i would rather tell you this, I love you so so much. Please never forget that. I want you to be happy and ask out Lonnie and enjoy cotillion. Stop being the overprotective brother and dance, sing and laugh your heart out with everyone because you need to relax and enjoy one night_

 _Again, i'm sorry i couldn't come to cotillion but if i did, i don't think i would be able to leave again meaning i may hurt someone i love. I will be back but i just need you to be strong, listen to what Uma says and make sure Mal looks beautiful and perfect for cotillion. I want you to have fun and dance, ignore everything happening and just focus on how amazing Lonnie will look as your date. I just wanted to say that I love you and you are the best big brother any girl could ask for, so thank you._

 _Those two words ,ones that we were taught never to say, are the two most easiest words for me to write. Thank you Jay. I know I don't say it enough but really thank you. Thank you for always being there for me, even when I was a crying mess in my room and wanted to be alone, you always found away into my room and hugged me while I cried into your shoulder like a little girl. You made sure that the boys on the Isle didn't break my heart or hurt me and you did the same here until I found Doug and you knew he loved me and wouldn't hurt me. Thank you for making my childhood a happy, filled with laughs and smiles that I would of never imagined having without you or Carlos or Mal. So I just wanted to say ,before I end this letter and leave, that I love you and thank you_

 _I hope you have an amazing time at cotillion and have an time, I love you so much_

 _E xx"_

"Jay are you even listening ?" Harry asked, still not moving from his place on the wall as all three boys look at the thief with worried and concerned looks as Jay stood up and walked towards the wooden door of the room after folding and placing the letter inside his pocket. Jay walked towards the door, ignoring Carlos's and Gil's questions of where he was going before twisting the door handle and opening the piece of wood until a hand grabbed his arm, making the thief look at the pirate with an emotionless face, hiding the tsunami of emotions coursing through the thief's veins.

"Don't do anything stupid" Harry whispered towards Jay "It won't help Mal, Dizzy, Uma or Evie if you do"

"I know" Jay replied as Harry released his arm "My little sister told me to do something, and I haven't made it habit of disobeying orders in the past, why start now"

Jay opened the door further and walked out but not before Harry "borrowed" the letter sticking out of jay's pocket. Carlos and Gil shared a worried look as harry closed the door with his foot as he read the neat handwriting in blue ink.

"Well i'll be dammed" Harry muttered after finishing the letter and smirking at the two boys "Jay is going to ask out Lonnie"

* * *

Jay walked into the gym and saw the exact princess he was looking for, in the exact place he thought she would be. The gym in Auradon Prep was one of the best in the kingdom, with the hexagon shaped room filled with the best quality equipment that money could buy. There was a long row of dummies for people to train on that led to a circle of different sizes of boxes used for parkour. Behind one of the half walls was a longer room with targets hanging on the back wall for people to use for inside archery when the weather gets too bad for the students to practice outside.

Lonnie was stood in front of a dummy as she punched the hard foam before returning into a defensive position and repeating the action. She wore her traditional workout attire when no one else was in the gym like today, which was a black and red sports bra with matching leggings and her hair pulled back into a messy high ponytail with small curls sticking to her sweaty forehead that made her shine more then ever, _like an angel_ Jay thought as he watched her practice. Lonnie was so concentrated on her practice that she didn't see him standing in the doorway until he coughed to get her attention five minutes after he started watching the princess

"Oh, Jay" Lonnie signed, placing her hand on her quickened heart at the sight of the ex-thief. "You scared the goodness out of me"

"Goodness out of you ?" Jay questioned in amusement as he walked closer to the slightly blushing princess

"Well, i'm a princess" Lonnie started to explain as she moved to her bag on one of the seats against the half walls where her bag and drink was "meaning I can't say any offensive words and so I made that little saying up so I wouldn't get in trouble for saying it"

"Oh" Jay replied as Lonnie raised an eyebrow at his sudden nervousness but decided to ignore it and take a sip out of her water bottle. Wrong choice because some of the cold clear liquid ran down her chin and down her neck towards her chest and...

"Um" Jay said, knocking himself back to reality as he focused on Lonnie's face instead of the dripping water after she put down her water bottle and turned to face Jay fully

"What's up ?" Lonnie laughed as she walked closer to Jay, secretly trying to keep her heart from going any faster then the one-hundred miles an second in was currently racing at.

"I was just going to ask about cotillion ?" Jay replied as his confident and cool personality ,Lonnie fell for, came back like they were already boyfriend and girlfriend and comfortable being this close to each other, to the point where Lonnie could feel Jay's breath trail down her neck as he spoke making a chill creep up her spine.

"Oh yea" Lonnie answered stepping closer to Jay "What about it ?"

"Well I was wondering, considering that iv'e never been to one, you could teach me to dance ?" Jay asked making Lonnie's smile faultier before it was quickly replaced by a friendly smile along with a simple nod in agreement

"Sure, what dance ?" Lonnie asked

"Well I want to impress this beautiful and talented princess and I wanted to ask you what dances you like to do so I could practice for her ?" Jay asked, secretly loving the way Lonnie's smile faulted and her breathing deepened when he mentioned this "other girl".

"Well, I can tango, waltz and salsa but i think for a beginner, we could try a waltz" Lonnie suggested as she walked over to the large circle made out of the parkour boxes. Jay followed and watched as Lonnie put on some waltz music on from her phone before placing it on one of the boxes and waving for Jay to come closer.

"Okay, place your hand on my waist" Lonnie orders in a caring voice as she moved Jay's large hands onto her waist, smiling as he carefully moved her closer "and I move my hand onto your shoulder as we use the other hand to hold the others before rocking in a circle"

Lonnie placed her hand gently on Jay's shoulder and took his hand in hers as she breathed in deeply before counting out loud the steps while moving forward, side to side and backwards in a circle. Without warning, Jay spun Lonnie around while still moving in a circle, the pair moving like they were long lost dance partners in another life.

 _Jay's too good to be a beginner_ Lonnie thought until it finally hit her as the he dipped her, _he isn't a beginner !._ Jay moved some of Lonnie's hair out of her face as she looked up into his chocolate brown eyes, ignoring the butterfly feeling in her stomach when he wrapped his arm around her waist to secure her more as he didn't make a move to pull her back up from the dip she was currently in.

"You're amazing" Lonnie breathed the complement out as he smiled at her "How long have you been training ?"

"Just since cotillion was announced but I wanted to spend more time with you to ask you something " Jay whispered into her ear, loving the way she unconsciously breathed in deeper and moved closer to his chest before answering the statement Jay told her

"And what is that ?" Lonnie asked back as she looked into his glistening chocolate brown eyes, innocently. Jay looked at Lonnie before the two slowly leaned in closer, looking at each other with a silent question of if they felt the same pull towards each other the other person did, and the answer was sealed with a short and sweet kiss. One that made sparks erupt throughout Lonnie's body and butterflies float in Jay's stomach as the two's lips connected. Lonnie was the first one to pull away, smiling at Jay as she caressed his check while Jay slowly moved to let Lonnie stand fully.

"You're the other girl, Lonnie" Jay whispered as Lonnie placed her hand in his chest and gently pulled away to look him in his eyes

"What other girl ?" Lonnie asked, completely ignoring the conversation they had previously and focusing on the loving and sweet kiss they both just shared. Lonnie's first kiss period.

"Will you go to cotillion with me and if you want to maybe we could be" Jay was interrupted as Lonnie stood on her tiptoes and kissed Jay, letting all words fall off of Jay's tongue as she kissed him sweetly. Jay wrapped his arms around Lonnie's waist and pulled her closer as she wrapped her arms around his neck until the urge for air became too much and the couple had to pull away. Lonnie caressed Jay's check before nodding and smiling at the ex-thief

"I would love to be your girlfriend, Jay" Lonnie whispered, loving the way his eyes light up and his smile turned into a proud grin before lifting her off the ground and spinning her around the circle of boxes

"And go to cotillion with me ?" Jay asked as he continued to spin Lonnie round the room. Lonnie nodded and whispered a "yes" before pulling Jay into one more kiss as soon as he put her down. The couple continued to talk that day, with Jay explaining the Evie situation and Lonnie helping Jay with advice on what to do and what will help him find his sister.

* * *

After an hour of trying to get Ben to go back to his kingly duties, insisting that she would be fine until the morning, the young king reluctantly left his girlfriend snuggled tightly in her bed with her phone next to her just in case. Mal signed deeply into her pillow as she watched the sun slowly set over the tall tree's of the Enchanted Forest, noticing the hint of blue within the orange and yellows of the sky. Maybe it was her mind playing tricks on her but she could of sworn that she saw sparkles shot past her view and towards Evie's bed that was still untouched and lay behind Mal. Mal slowly turned around to get comfier and that's when she saw it.

The small purple rose placed on Mal's nightstand that wasn't there when Ben left. The rose seemed to have a layer of fairy dust on it as the flower sparkled like a diamond. As soon as she noticed the flower, the phone lit up indicating that she had received a text.

 **"Hay Mal, hope you got the rose.** **I managed to enchant it today with some helpfrom a friend** **but i'm getting better at magic!I hope your doing okay and** **I love you.Have a good sleep and for an outfit tomorrow,I** **have put a nice pair of dolly shoes in the bathroom for you** **and you can pick any dress or your green ripped jeans and** **that tank-top with your favourite see through jacket.Have** **a good day tomorrow and get some sleep, please.** **I love you, M. Bye xx** **From Evie, your little sister."**

The text read making Mal smile and quickly text back:

 _"Hay, E. I got the rose, it's beautiful._ _Hope your okay and having a good day.It's good to hear your getting_ _better at magic andhaving a good time. I will wear the dress I promise._ _I miss you a lot, we all do but I guess if your happy then so am I.I hope_ _you are truly okay and have a good nights sleep(Don't stay up all night_ _on Instagram again).I love you so much, E xxx_ _From Mal, your big sister."_

After sending the text message, Mal signed and rubbed the petal of the rose smiling at the hint of lavender that came from the flower. Mal's favourite sent. Mal smiled as she saw Evie text back a simple text that basically consisted of an laughing emoji and a "I love you", before saying goodnight and that she would text before Mal left for cotillion. Mal leaned back in her bed and gazed at the fairy lights that were hung on the inside of the top of her bed so Mal could picture them as the stars on the Isle. It was Evie's idea really after she saw Mal walking in the courtyard with her sketchbook and pencil, tying to find the perfect stars to draw that resembled their home.

After a few minutes of trying to fall asleep, Mal remembered something that made an uneasy feeling appear in the pit of her stomach. Dizzy and Uma hadn't came back to the dorm and it was almost ten O'Clock at night.

* * *

 ** _In the next chapter I will be introducing an new character that is going to be a big influence on Uma's development as a leader, family member and main carer of Dizzy. Who is it ?_**

 ** _I would love to hear your suggestions in the comments on who this character could be and what their main job will be. Here's a hint..._**

 ** _Nope. Going to have to guess. I love hearing your guy's creative thinking so please come up with names, backgrounds and maybe powers and the person who got it closest to what i'm planning will get a shout-out in the next chapter._**

 ** _If you don't want to comment on this story, I have a Descendants One-Shorts story that i'm looking for stories for. I have been making one but i'm not sure if i like it so I may not upload my idea but i'm open to any of you guy's ideas._**

 ** _The next chapter will be focusing on where Dizzy and Uma are, who they are with and Uma's discovery of the person she seemingly forgot about and how she deals with forgetting about that person. There wasn't a lot about Dizzy and Uma in this chapter but this one was just to kinda explain what Evie's letters to the boys contained and how Jay found the confidence to ask out his long term crush because of his sister, plus we learn that Evie is staying with Queen Elsa._**

 ** _Personally, i'm not the biggest fan of Frozen (I loved the story line but in my family it was a little over played/ sung, making me dislike some of the senses/ songs (Yes I am hinting towards "Let it go" please don't hate me in the comments)) but I thought that Queen Elsa was a great addition to the whole "Good or Evil" plot of Descendants because of her past. If anyone was confused, Evie went to Elsa because she remembered the queen had troubles of her own when it came to magic and protected her family and Evie thought that the queen could help Evie control her seemingly limitless powers._**

 ** _We know have some idea of Evie's magic and that it has something to do with creating life/ flowers but in later chapters we will explore the darker side of her magic from her mother which is of course ,if Evie does in fact have the ability to create and heal life, death and harm which is another great reason as to why Queen Elsa is introduced. If you don't like Elsa, don't worry she won't be in many chapters unless you guys want her too. Tell me in the comments what you think._**

 ** _Lonnie will play a massive part in some of the battle parts and will eventually become great friends with Harry, Gil but mainly Uma. I loved the fact that in the movies, Lonnie was this strong female role model and also wasn't your typical snobby princess like some of the others but that she actually didn't care what other people thought and still hung out with the VK's even after the events of Family Day. So I really wanted to keep Lonnie a strong role model but also wanted her to have Jay so they could help each other through stressful times like these and the ones in the future._**

 ** _But anyway, enough spoilers, please comment on what you want to happen in future chapters and if I get two theories on who this mystery person is in the comments by tomorrow and how the person is related to Uma, then there will be a new chapter up before Friday! I promise but for now, bye and thanks for reading._**


	18. The whole family picture

The eighteen year old girl walked confidently down the dangerous alleyways of the Isle Of The Lost, pulling her long black coat closer to her slim body as she tried to get the patches of dirt off of her coco-coloured skin after another long day of working at Ursula's Fish Chip Shop. Her dark purple- braided hair was pulled back into a tight bun at the back of her head and her legs were long and skinny like the rest of her body, apart from the muscle on her arms and legs formed from years of sword training and fights that made the women seem like a larger threat then she really was- but she still was a large threat to anyone's life if they under estimated her abilities with a sword or her fists. Both were deadly.

The teenager walked down the alley and towards a old fashioned castle at the edge of the Isle. The castle had a Victorian style with five tall towers standing strong above the three-story building that connected them all. The castle had a grand entrance with guards dressed in shinning amour placed at the bottom and top of the stairs that led to the large wooden doors with two guards also stood on parole. The glass was cleaned and allowed the limited sun from the outside to shine through and reflect off of the marble floor.

The teenager walked up the stairs, saying hello to each guard she passed, and walked into the castle after the two guards opened the large door. The inside of the castle was even grander then the outside, with marble flooring and stone walls that looked ancient but still stood strong. People rushed around the room as some men held documents for the teenager to sign later on and others were running around trying to find the missing princess that had hidden again. The teenager giggled as a servant rushed passed her, but stopped quickly to explain the situation to the eighteen year old girl.

"Your majesty" The servant curtsied "Princess Pearl has gone missing again. We have looked everywhere she normally hides"

"Considering it's Pearl, maybe look somewhere that's not normal, Sophie. Why don't you take a break and go down to the kitchen, I want to have any other cooking lesson if you don't mind and in the mean time, I will find my sister" The teenager suggested making Sophie nod in a hesitant agreement.

Sophie was a middle aged blonde women who had ocean blue eyes and a warm smile, something that was very rare on the Isle. She wore a light blue dress that stopped at her knee's and had her hair tied back into a tight bun, exposing the dimples and freckles that stood out against her pale skin. Sophie was like a mother to the teenager, evident in the way she licked her thumb and started to wipe of the mud coating the teenagers checks at the mere sight of it.

"Sophie, it's okay. I will wash it off" the teenager giggled as she slowly removed Sophie's hand from her face and held it tightly when she saw the look of utter annoyance in the women's eyes "It wasn't that bad today, just some shouting that's all."

"Oceana" Sophie exclaimed "You are the Queen, you should be treated like one. Especially from that monster of a women"

"I know I am. You know my mother" Oceana sighed back at Sophie who placed her hand on her hip and raised her eyebrow at the queen, for her to tell her the truth "Fine, it was a little more then a bit of shouting but noting I can't deal with. I go through it so Pearl doesn't have to, remember. That's why she doesn't leave this castle"

"Speaking of which, she has tried to leave four times since you have been gone" Sophie told the queen.

Oceana had left the castle for a week after her mother demanded her to work extra-shifts after Uma left. Uma usually took the night shifts so Oceana could look after Pearl and Oceana took the day shift so while the servants looked after Pearl, Uma could sleep. Oceana was also queen, meaning sometimes Uma would take over Oceana's shift at the diner for the queen to have chance to complete some of her work and documents. On top of everything, both Uma and Oceana were in relationships and with the two having royal statuses like princess and queen plus a part-time job at a dirty shop, they really didn't have time to spend with their boyfriends unless they came to the castle or Uma's boat.

"Have you seen Harries anywhere ?" Oceana asked making Sophie pull a confused face until it finally clicked and she replied with a small giggle

"He came by two hours ago and stayed with Pearl and then left" Sophie looked over at another servant who was still looking everywhere for the princess and called over to the women "She's with Prince Harries, she's fine"

"I will personally deal with my boyfriend and sister when I call them back but for now" Oceana turned around and called every servants attention to her "Take the day off, you deserve it" All the servants sighed heavily as most of them had kids and dropped into a low curtsy before they all began to walk towards the servants quarters to collect their things and go home to their kids and families.

Sophie smiled at the queens actions and curtsied, explaining that she was going to pick up her own daughter and then come back to give the queen that cooking and baking lesson she had been dying to have for a week now. Sophie left after curtsying to the queen, leaving the queen standing alone in the large foyer of the castle while all the other people in the castle stayed in their con-joint offices where they worked on making the Isle better for the children. It was one of things Oceana was adamant on improving the moment she became queen.

If you were to ask any of the loyal subjects of the queen, they would tell you that it was the best thing to happen to the isle. Oceana and Mal worked closely together when the teen was still on the isle to improve the lives of the isle children- and still stayed in contact when Uma and Mal fell out. Oceana and Mal both believed that a good queen doesn't let a little argument ruin the chance for hundreds of abused isle children.f

Oceana signed deeply ,before making sure she was alone, and clicked on the large purple gem embedded within her sister-charm necklace. The large gem had two smaller gems next to it, representing Oceana's two (half) sisters: Uma and Pearl.

"Find the ones I love the most, bring them back to me, the one they love the most" Oceana whispered the rhyme before two people fell out of the sky and almost landed on the floor, they would of if it hadn't been for Oceana shooting her hand out and using her magic to gently bring the two teens to the cold marble floor.

"Busted" The girl giggled as she sat up, leaning on her one arm and playing with the ends of her long blonde hair. The girls face was covered in small freckles and her dimples appeared as she smiled innocently at her older sister who slowly shock her head while placing her hand on her hip. The girl muttered something under her breath and waved her hand above her head, making her wavy blonde hair turn into her natural beach waves of midnight black locks that ended at the base of her back. Her hair covered her eyes that were a deep brown and the small freckles on her checks had now lessened in amount. She had a skinny body ,but muscles like her older sister, that was covered by a short black and blue lace dress and ended at her knees, it had transformed from a pair of ripped jeans and a blue tank top with a bomber jacket tied around her waist that Oceana swore was hers.

The boy sat next to her ,in a simpler position as the young princess, had short blue hair that was swished to the side and small freckles dotted on his pale face. He wore a blue leather jacket with black flames on the back and some dark blue jeans, looking very messy for the prince he was. Oceana ,however much she wanted to, couldn't break her angry face and run over to her boyfriend and kiss him- she had to teach them a lesson and the best way to do that was with guilt.

"Where were you two ? Sophie was looking for you, Pearl and you" Oceana scolded as she turned and looked at her boyfriend who was now looking at the ground in embarrassment "You are eighteen years old for Hades sake" This caused the young boy to laugh at his fathers name but it quickly turned into a fake cough at the sight of his girlfriends raised eyebrow.

"You are supposed to be the adult and instead of being a prince, you are helping a thirteen year old girl sneak out of her room" Oceana exclaimed. Pearl sheepishly raised her hand and Oceana nodded at her to speak,

"But isn't it a prince's job to help and save the princess" Pearl replies which makes Oceana shake her head at the old-fashioned stereotype of princesses and princes

"No, a princes can save herself but you know why you can't leave the castle unless you are with me" Oceana signed in response making Pearl look towards the ground and sign sadly

"What's the point of me being a princess if I can't even leave the castle" Pearl muttered

"It's for your safety" Oceana relied making Pearl look up at her sister in anger

"You say its for my own safety but you never tell me what is the danger. You won't even let me see my father. I miss Uma, she was at least honest with me" Pearl stands up and frustratingly wipes away her tears formed from her anger that was pumping through her veins "It's like you want me to root in this castle! You never let me have a say in anything I do, I hate this. I wish I wasn't a princess"

Pearl stormed towards the large stairs of the castle before quickening her pace into a steady run once she heard Oceana call after her. The princess ran up the stairs and down the corridors before entering her towers staircase and slamming the door close with a loud _bang_. Oceana sighed as she ran her hand through her hair and looked at Harris who had now stood up and had moved to be in front of his girlfriend

"I can never do anything right" Oceana muttered frustratingly. Harris smiled at his girlfriend reassuringly before slowly snaking his arms around her waist and placing his chin on Oceana's head as she rested her head on his chest, listening closely to his steady heartbeat.

"You're perfect for me and Pearl and that's all that matters" Harris informs his girlfriend

"You saw Pearl just" Oceana signed "She hates me"

"She doesn't hate you, just just doesn't understand it yet" Harris explains

"It doesn't help when you try stealing the princess" Oceana replied as she looked up at her grinning boyfriend

"I am a VK prince, I can steal the princess as long as I return her before the queen comes back" Harris joked which made Oceana laugh "I love that laugh"

"Well if you made my life and the servants a little easier by not stealing our princess, maybe I would smile and laugh more and not shout at you guys" Oceana replied jokingly.

"She made me, you have a stubborn princess" Oceana chuckled at Harris comment to which she quickly agreed on

"Yea she's like Evie and Mal in that aspect" Oceana replied before signing at the memory of her best friends that now live in Auradon. Harris smiled at his girlfriends dreamy face as she remembered some of the memories her and the younger girls had before getting the opportunity to go to Auradon and have a second chance.

Oceana was truly happy for her sister when she found out that Uma had also been given the chance to go to Auradon along with Harry and Gil. Of course, Oceana missed her sister and the other VK's tremendously but she knew that they would have a better life in Auradon then they could of ever had on the Isle. Even through Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos were classed as royalty (with Evie being the only real-royal in the group) the group still had a somewhat bad life between their parents and then school and Oceana tried her hardest to make the younger ones life's okay but eventually she knew that Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos need to have a second chance by Auradon for them to become good.

"You miss them ?" Harris asked, already knowing the answer. To the couple, the VK's were like their little siblings, the people they protected with all of their power and strength. Oceana looked at her boyfriend and nodded

"Yea, of course I miss them" Oceana signed "It doesn't help that Pearl has been acting so angry and sad since Mal and Evie left. Them two were her favourite"

"Oh yes" Harris agreed "I can't remember the amount of conversations that started with the words 'Auntie Evie' or 'Auntie Mal said that'.."

"It was nice that she remembered them through"

"Why don't you send a letter to Uma and Mal and Evie plus the boys just for like an update to tell Pearl" Harris suggests "That's what you did when you wrote to King Ben and asked for more shipments to come here and he seemingly listened to you"

"Okay then, can you look after Pearl ?" Oceana asked, immediately regretting that decision once she saw the mischievous glint in Harris dark blue eyes, making her quickly add "And do not sneak her out of the castle because I will know and I will just teleport you guys to my office and lock the door"

"Okay, now go. You have a letter to write and maybe if you write fast enough, they should be able to get it within half an hour of you sending it" Harris leaned down and pressed his lips onto Oceana's as she wrapped her arms around his neck and stood up on her tip-toes

"Stop kissing you two" Pearl shouted from the balcony, making Oceana and Harris break away and look at the thirteen year old girl who was smirking at the couple

"H, come on. It's your turn to be the dragon" At this Harris nodded and Pearl rushed back up the stairs making Oceana giggle at her baby sisters actions.

"Go on then dragon, I have a letter to write" Oceana giggled as Harris unwrapped his arm from around her waist and blew her a kiss before running up the stairs to follow Pearl.

"What am I going to do with them two ?"

* * *

"Dizzy, where are we going ?" Uma asked as they crossed a long rope bridge that stretched across a large ravine. The area was covered with trees that were tall and a vibrant shade of green, and had birds chirping on every branch, all of whom were seemingly harmonising perfectly. In the distance, Uma could just about make out a small lake with a waterfall hidden behind the vibrant colours of the leaves. The sun had just gone down, casting it's shadow onto the lakes clear water which made Uma smile at the memories that came flooding back.

Uma thought about how when she was younger ,no older then five, her older sister taught her how to swim using the quite beach located just outside the castle's gates. Uma remembered the exact words her older sister told her, because those were the words she told her younger sister when Uma trained her to swim.

 _"Feel the water. Watch the waves as they travel in the union, the waves become unreliable to carry you" Oceana demonstrated this by throwing a small pebble into the calm waves and watching as the waves became distressed and uncontrollable "By letting the water control your movements, it shows it that you trust it completely and then it will protect you"_

 _"But don't I need to move my arms and legs ?" Uma remembers asking as she looked up at her older sister who giggled and smiled back at the younger girl_

 _"That's were teamwork comes in. The water is like a friendship. For it to work, you need to trust the person but also have trust in return. You need to watch it and let it run wild but in the end you know that you control enough to save everyone if needs be"_

It was one of the first lessons Uma had on not only the water but friendship as well. After a hundred and one tries she could finally swim thanks to the help of her sister. Uma's smile soon turned into a frown at the thought of the women who had basically raised her, because she was still trapped on that horrible island with Pearl.

"I wanted to show you the enchanted lake. Evie mentioned it in a story when we first came here, it washes off all spells but it also lets someone see what someone else is doing if they want to enough" Dizzy explains as she climbs down some stones after walking off the bridge, Uma following closely behind.

"I thought you may want to see someone" Dizzy adds as the lake comes into view. Uma started at the view in front of her. The water sparkled in the moonlight, the trees hung above the waterfall like an umbrella and just in front of the glittering liquid were a couple of broken columns that looked like the remains of a small temple. Uma walked down to the columns and pressed her hand against one, remembering the stories Oceana used to tell her about people getting married in temples and cathedrals and living happily ever after.

"I miss you Oceana" Uma whispered to herself.

"Look" Dizzy told Uma who looked at the girl before following her pointed finger and noticing that the water had started to glow from underneath. Dizzy smiled and walked over to a frozen Uma and took her hand, leading her over to the waters edge and sitting down.

"Tell the water who you want to see and it will show it" Dizzy reminded Uma who looked hesitantly to the former. "Uma i'm tired, can you send me home ?"

"Of course" Uma replied, knowing that Dizzy was actually wide-awake but the younger girl just wanted to give Uma some privacy. Uma lifted her hand and mumbled a small transportation spell which made Dizzy disappear and reappear in a worried Mal's room.

Uma looked back at the water and noticed that it was still glowing so Uma thought of someone that she really wanted to see and it didn't take long for the name to leave her lips

"Ocena" Uma whispered but the water didn't change "show me my sister" Uma said a little louder and in more of a begging tone as a tear slipped out of her brown eyes. The water began to swirl around and soon enough the water rose and made a mirror shape. The water in the middle of the mirror glowed a bright gold before before being replaced with an image that almost Uma cry.

 _Ocena was sat at her desk, empty pieces of paper were layout in front of her while she hesitated to pick up the pen Uma had given her when she officially became queen. Oceana sighed deeply before wiping away her tears and started writing on one of the black pieces of paper._

 _"Dear King Benjamin Beast._

You may not know who I am but you will know my sister, Uma. _Let me introduce myself, I am Queen Oceana Of The Isle And The Underworld meaning that Uma is a princess and so is our other sister, Pearl. I am so happy that you have decided to give Uma, Harry and Gil along with Mal, Evie, Carlos and Jay a second chance at a normal life, so from a sister i would like to say thank you._

 _This may seem a little un-queen like because we haven't even meet yet but I wanted to ask for a favour. I haven't seen my sister in almost two days and usually i would be okay with that; she is smart girl and doesn't get in dangerous trouble often, but Pearl (our youngest sister) has become less... friendly as you Auradonionas call it. She is a little distressed that Uma is not around for her to talk to and that has led to some mood swings._

 _Pearl has magic so you may be able to see why I am scared ,as you have a magic girlfriend you know the dangers that come along with having a mood swing. Currently, I am able to use my own powers to stop anyone from getting hurt but I fear that one day I may not be able to do such things. This is where you come._

 _If you allow Uma and Pearl to write to each other every week then I believe its gets rid of the danger and will help Uma. I will deeply appreciate it if this can happen as I know that it will help my sisters, the one in Auradon and the one on the Isle._

 _Please tell Mal and Evie that I am very proud of them, they turned into lovely people who deserve to be happy with their boyfriends and friends. Please also tell them to look after themselves and Uma and Dizzy, the two girls have always protected those two but I just want to make sure that they are okay and safe. Tell the boys that they should protect each other also, make sure they don't get hurt ( I may not of meet you yet, your majesty, but I have seen that Mal is very happy with you so you must love her. Uma told me that she meet you and that you are a very good and trusting person (a little too trusting I hear) but if Uma trusts you then I do too))._

 _Please consider my favour and help me with Pearl. I may be on the Isle but I do love my family, I would do anything for them._

 _Thank you for receiving this and I hope you consider it, from,_

 _Her royal majesty, Queen Oceana"_

 _After Oceana had finished reading the letter out loud, she placed it in a white envelope with a gold seal with Uma's family crest on it, a teal mermaid with long hair that resembled all of the children of Ursula when they turned into a mermaid, a power the girls had just like Mal's glowing green eyes. Oceana lent forward in her chair and cried into her hands, her shoulders shaking with each sob that escaped her lips._

"Oceana" Uma called out but Oceana continued to cry, ignoring the faint call of her name as she thought it was just the maids.

"Oceana, it's me Uma. Please, I need you to hear me. I need you to talk to me, help me" Uma cried as she clutched onto her stomach in pain from the cries, the tears stinging her eyes as they flooded down her checks. Uma cried and cried as the mirror faded away and the water returned to its normal calmness. The water from the waterfall that hit the surface of the lake, was the only other sound apart Uma's sods that echoed through the dark forest that seemed to have lost all its glow and warmth and instead turned into a cold and haunting forest, with each tree growing taller and mocking Uma as she cried.

Uma closed her eyes tightly, not wanting his to be real and instead for her to wake up in her sisters loving arms, for this to be a nightmare that Oceana would wake her up from but deep down inside Uma knew this was the life she was living. Wishing for it wasn't going to change anything. Uma's eyes were so tightly closed that she didn't see the figure in the middle of the broken temple. The figure moved closer to Uma slowly, not wanting to scare the young sea-witch. It bent down to Uma's level after it reached the crying teen and placed its hand on the girls shoulder,making Uma look up at the person.

"Mal" Uma sodded as Mal wrapped her arms around Uma's crying form. Uma clung onto Mal's arms as she continued to cry, not caring if she looked weak or prophetic because she knew that Mal would never judge her about crying for her sister.

"Hay, its okay. It be okay" Mal reassured Uma, having seen what Uma was crying about which made a few tears appear in Mal's eyes. Mal ran her hand through Uma's hair as the girl continued to cry into Mal's arms, clinging onto the daughter of Maleficent like her life depended on it.

"Pearl and Oceana will be okay, I promise" Mal promised. Uma nodded slowly and shivered, the cold breeze biting at her exposed skin. Mal noticed this and pulled Uma closer "why don't we go back to Auradon Prep and you can have a good sleep and then you can talk to me or Harry or any of us"

"Harry, wheres Harry ?" Uma asked in a quiet tone that if Mal wasn't so close, she wouldn't of heard it.

"He's at the school, in his new room I believe" Mal recalled her memories

"I want to see Harry" Uma replied through sobs

"Okay, I will get Harry and you and him can stay in our room"

* * *

Uma was in her room, getting dressed into her PJ's while Mal went to get Harry who was getting ready to fall asleep in his dorm room, which was the unused room the boys read their letters in. Mal knocked quickly on to the door and ,not waiting for a reply, opened it to see Harry sat at the end of his bed, his hook in his hand as he turned it side to side, mesmerised by the reflecting shine of the clean metal. Harry looked up at Mal and stood up once he saw the look of worry edged on her face,

"Uma needs you. She went to the enchanted lake and when I got there, she was crying and then she saw me and cried more then she ever has. Harry you need to go to her" Mal said in one breath, breathing in deeply once she finished to prevent herself from going purple. "She saw Oceana in the enchanted lake"

"Oceana!" Harry exclaimed making Mal nod

"She is not okay, I am going to sleep in Ben's guest room ,weather he knows it or not, but you can stay with Uma. I don't really what her alone right now" Mal signed making Harry nod in agreement "Well what are you waiting for ?! Go!"

Harry smiled and nodded before running out of the door and towards his girlfriends dorm room. Mal signed and shock her head, smiling at how much Harry loved Uma.

Harry ran into the dorm room and saw Uma sat on Mal's bed, her back facing the door and her head in her hands as silent sobs racked through her body. Harry quickly closed the door and walked over to his girlfriend before wrapping her into a hug. Harry wrapped his arms around Uma's back as she placed her head on his chest- listening to his heart beat as she silently cried into Harry's white shirt.

"It's alright, love. I got you" Harry whispered to Uma who cried further into his chest

"I s-s-saw h-her. Oceana" Uma cried

"Shh, I got you. Oceana is going to be fine, so will Pearl" Harry shushed Uma who nodded slowly as she looked up at him, through her teary eyes, just now noticing that Harry had lent back against the headboard of the purple bed.

"Promise me that they will be fine" Uma whispered to her First-Mate

"I promise" Harry whispered back, reassuring his girlfriend with a sweet and small kiss.

"I love you" Uma whispered back as she snuggled closer to her boyfriend. Harry kissed the top of Uma's head as he wrapped his arms around her waist and breathed in deeply as he hummed a song that made Uma smile at the familiar tune.

 _"Impossible,_ _for a plan yellow pumpkin_ _to become a golden carriage._ _Impossible!_ _For a plan country bumpkin_ _and a prince to join in marriage"_

Uma sang softly as Harry hummed the songs tune. Uma looked up at Harry and smiled at him, silently asking requesting something that Harry couldn't say no to.

 _"And four white mice will never be four white horses._ _Such folderol and fiddle-dee-dee of course is,_ _impossible"_

Harry sang softly to his girlfriend who looked up at him with gleaming eyes as she quietly sang the next verse with him.

 _"But the world is full of zanies and fools._ _Who don't believe in sensible rules_ _and won't believe what sensible people say,_ _and because these daft and dewy-eyed dopes,_ _keep building up impossible hopes._ _Impossible things are happening every day._

 _Impossible"_ Harry sung before stopping and letting his girlfriend sing the next line.

 _"It's possible!_ _For a plain yellow pumpkin,_ _to become a golden carriage._ _It's possible!_ _For a plain country bumpkin_ _and a prince to join in marriage._

 _And four white mice are easily turned to horses._ _such folderol and fiddle-dee-dee of course is_ _quite possible!_ _It's possible!" Uma sung before Harry joined in on the last verse_

 _"For the world is full of zanies and fools,_ _who don't believe in sensible rules_ _and won't believe what sensible people have to say,_ _and because these daft and dewy-eyed dopes_ _keep building up impossible hopes,_ _impossible things are happening every day!_

 _It's possible"_

By the time Harry had stopped singing, he heard the quite snores of the sleeping beauty in his arms who was cuddled up in his lap -her head resting on his chest as the steady beating of his chest lulled her to sleep. Harry hated that he wasn't with Uma when she saw Oceana, he knew how strong the bond between sisters were- for he grew up with CJ and Harriet fighting, laughing and crying at sometimes together- but Oceana and Uma were so much more then sisters or even family members.

Oceana was a caretaker, a best friend, a protector and a guardian for Uma and even when Uma was stealing, lying and fighting her way through life, she always knew that Oceana was close behind her. Watching over her little sister as she grew up and would one day rule the Isle Of The Lost, in the determent and strong way Oceana had raised her little sister in. Because of Oceana, Uma knew that to be a good queen- to be a good princess- she had to talk to her people, be one of them and understand their struggles like they were her own.

Uma spent years, living on her ship so she could understand her people, she fought along side them, she lived next to them and everyday she would hear and see their struggles and then write to her sister- the queen- explaining what could be done to help the people.

See it may seem to you, that a place as _evil_ as the Isle wouldn't have anything as sophisticated as a royal family or even ranks. _Surely the villains wouldn't have time for such things when they spend their time, plotting and scheming away for revenge?_

But ,in a sense, you are correct. The villains didn't make the rules- they thought they did and they tried to control the lower class villains but they failed- as a new line of power began to form that the villains had no hope of controlling. Their children.

Oceana was elected the first Queen Of The Isle for two reasons. The first one being that Oceana had helped so many of the Isle children and the older generation ,who finally understood that what they did was wrong and were trying to change for the better- so the people who now had a nice bed, warm meals and a decent job elected Oceana as queen. The second reason was because of who her father was.

Ocean's father was one of the evilest and cunning villains to have ever exist. He was the ruler of the Other Side, making Oceana not only a goddess, because of her mother, but princess of the Other Side. Oceana's father was the worst parent imaginable so it was easy for Oceana to see why the people chose her to rule instead of her father, the Voodoo man. Oceana had all the cunning skills had but treated people with respect and kindness which made her the perfect queen.

Harry smiled at the memory of when he was first introduced as Uma's boyfriend to the queen. Harry had been thirteen, the same as Uma, while Oceana was fifteen and little Pearl was six.

* * *

 _Oceana sat regally on her throne in the main room of the castle, the limited light flowed through the magical barrier and made the princesses dark purple hair shine as Oceana looked up from Pearls hair ,that she was currently braiding, at the sound of a small cough. Oceana smiled at her sister and let go of Pearls hair as she ran to the person the princess hadn't seen in two months. Pearl wrapped her arms around the girls waist and squealed loudly, small tears of joy making their way down her rosy checks._

 _"Hay Pearly. Look what I got" Uma held up a small bracelet that made Pearl squeal and Oceana chuckle from the throne. The bracelet was a version of Oceana's necklace- with three gems that represented each one of Ursula's off springs. Pearl let go of Uma and held out her arm as Uma wrapped the bracelet around Pearls small wrist. "There"_

 _"It's beautiful, Uma" Pearl spun around and faced Oceana as she held out her wrist for the young queen to see the gems "Now i'm a princess"_

 _Oceana smiled and touched her own necklace and watched as Uma did the same, the two girls both had necklaces while Pearl had requested that she have a bracelet so it didn't get damaged. "Yes you are" Oceana stood up and walked towards her sister, pulling Uma into a tight hug._

 _"I missed you so much" Uma whispered to her sister_

 _"What took you so long? I was worried sick" Oceana told her sister as she pulled out of the hug. Uma blushed and looked back at the open throne room doors to see a young teenage boy stood in the centre of the room, standing uncomfortably as he shifted on either foot. Oceana noticed the blush and walked towards the young boy who looked at the queen and took her hand, kissing it lightly as he bowed out of respect._

 _"Uma, I do believe that I haven't meet your friend. Care to introduce him so I may ask why you were so late coming home this time" Oceana looked back at her sister after the boy had removed her hand and stood up straight. Uma blushed more which made Pearl giggle at her older sisters actions. Oceana smiled at started to circle the young boy who gulped before introducing himself to the queen._

 _"Harry, Your majesty. My name is Harry" he introduced, never once taking his eyes off of Uma who was blushing and looking towards the floor as the queen circled the pirate._

 _"Un novio? Lo que les sucedió es una pérdida de tiempo? (a boyfriend? What happened to them being a waste of time?)" Oceana asked._

All of the royal family knew Spanish. It was ,after all, their mothers native language so two out of the three children grew up with a Spanish speaking mother, meaning they picked up on a few things. Pearl was the only child of Ursula who couldn't quite yet speak fluent Spanish because she doesn't spend any time with her mother, but Oceana and Uma had taught Pearl how to understand people, just not know to pronounce the words.

Pearl nodded in agreement, looking at a bright red Uma in confusion, waiting for her older sister to answer the queen, but she didn't. Instead Uma looked up at Harry and nodded smiling when Oceana turned to see the pirate.

"Soy el primer official y no bio de Uma. Te puedo garantizar, no soy una pérdida de tiempo (I am Uma's first mate and boyfriend. I can guarantee to you, I am no waste of time)" Harry replied confidently, making Oceana raise an eyebrow at the pirate before her while Pearl giggled and Uma looked proudly at her boyfriends perfect Spanish.

"He speaks Spanish. Tell me, who is your father or mother" Oceana once again began to circle Harry and winked at Uma when she was behind Harry so he didn't see, which made the princess giggle but quickly stop and smile at her boyfriend, urging him to speak.

"My father is Captain James Hook, Mam. My mother died when she gave birth to my youngest sister, CJ" Harry answered

"CJ and Harriet Hook i'm guessing are your siblings" Oceana replied quickly

"Yes, your majesty. Harriet is older by three years but CJ is younger then me by two" Harry explained to the queen who nodded at the information.

"Well as long as Uma is happy with you then I see no reason as to why you to can't be together. But I am warning you, I look after my family, hurt them in any way and I will get revenge" Oceana threatened which made Pearl nod in agreement and Uma giggle as she walked closer to Harry.

"I am a princess, Oceana. I can handle myself and any way, Harry is a good person he wouldn't hurt me" Uma ensured her sister. Pearl stepped forward and placed her hands on her hips, glaring playfully at Harry who smiled at the little princess. Harry bent down to be eye level with Pearl while Uma held Oceana's hand and watched her their little sister.

"Have you two kissed yet ?" Pearl whispered loudly making Uma blush and look at Harry who shock his head. It was a complete lie, the two had kissed at least five times before but Harry didn't really want to tell anyone that detail of their relationship.

"Well then you have to kiss the princess" Pearl informed the pirate "Or it doesn't count"

"Pearl" Uma laughed

"What ? You told me that if someone loved someone else, they show it with a kiss and so you two need to kiss" Pearl exclaimed making Harry nod in agreement before standing up and walking over to a blushing Uma, who was pushed into Harry's arms by a grinning Oceana.

"You don't have to do this" Uma whispered as Harry wrapped his arms around her waist. Uma placed her hands on his chest as Harry made a show of thinking over the offer made by his girlfriend and the little princess who was gazing at the couple with complete happiness.

Pearl was thrilled that her older sister had a boyfriend, especially one as amazing and skilled with a sword as Harry was. After Uma had her heart broken two years prier to Harry meeting Oceana and Pearl, the young princess was sure that Uma had cancelled any opportunity of meeting a boy, let alone fall in love with one.

"I don't mind" Harry leaned in closer and kissed his girlfriend softly, smiling into the kiss when he heard Pearl squeal and jump up and down in pure joy. Uma pulled away slowly after a couple of seconds, smiling at Harry before looking back at her older sister who had her arms crossed and her eyebrow raised at the couples actions.

"Now you have to marry her" Pearl said excitably making Uma blush and look at her younger sister with a smile.

"Calm down, Pearly. I think we have to wait a while yet" Uma told her younger sister who huffed but continued to ask Harry questions about how the two meet and how him and Uma became boyfriend and girlfriend.

The evening was spent with Pearl and Oceana getting to know Harry more and asking questions about the two's relationship. Oceana was still a little concerned that Uma was going to get heartbroken again and with Uma living on her boat and having a job in Ursula's Fish Chip shop, she knew that her little sister couldn't spend all her time at the castle, meaning that Oceana wouldn't be able to help her sister twenty-four seven if Harry did in fact break her heart.

Pearl however, the exact opposite of her sister, believing that Harry and Uma were meant to be and would live 'happily ever after' like the bedtime stories Oceana and Uma used to read her when she was younger. And in a sense, Pearl was correct. After Harry meet Uma's siblings, he promised to visit the castle with Uma more often and he did.

Oceana soon warmed up to the idea that Uma had a boyfriend and soon accepted Harry as part of the family, giving him his own room in the castle that was near Uma's and the other girls room, she didn't trust him that much to be alone in a room with her precious little sister so he got a separate room.

* * *

Harry smiled at the memory as he snuggled closer to a sleeping Uma and closed his eyes. Harry breathed in the fresh smell of the sea as he placed his chin on Uma's chin, grinning when Uma smiled in her sleep before Harry closed his eyes for the finally time and fell asleep- listening to the even breathing of his girlfriend and the distant thrashing of the thunder and lightning from within the Isle's magical barrier.


	19. New Powers

It was early in the morning and Mal and Uma were busy talking about the Cotillion that was happening tonight. The two girls were extremely nervous, having never been to one before and to make matters worse, they hadn't had a text from Evie yet. Uma thought about asking Dizzy, Jay or Carlos if they had received any text from the blue haired princess but she knew that it would be cruel to wake them up- considering that the boys were asleep in their own room and that Dizzy was fast asleep in the room next to the two talking girls, which was Ben's office room.

They were currently in Ben's guest room with the king out on a last minute meeting that wouldn't end for another two hours- the meeting was about Cotillion and what was going to happen now that there was three new VK's in Auradon that would obviously be attending the event to support Mal.

Uma was sat at the end of the bed, her back resting on the wooden frame of the bed as she stretched her legs out to be the length of the comfy matres. Mal was lent on the headboard of the bed, playing with the edge of her pyjamas top, also having her legs stretched out the length of the bed, next to Uma's bare legs. The girls were still in their pyjamas, Uma was in a pair of blue shorts with a green tank top and her braided hair pulled back into a messy bun at the back of her head. Mal was wearing a purple ripped tank top with some purple shorts and her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, her bangs hanging loosely out of the ponytail and on her forehead.

The two girls were talking about their clothes when there was a loud knock at the door. Knowing Ben wasn't supposed to be back yet, Mal called for the person to enter- she was too tired to get up and actually open the door that was a good ten steps away. The door opened and closed and when the unknown person walked into the guest room, Mal was shocked to see who it was.

The girl looked exactly how she did before she left two weeks ago. Her caramel skin shinned in the light coming through the windows of the room and her smile widened at the sight of the confused but happy daughter of Maleficent. The girl was wearing a pink lace dress that had a teal lining and a sweet heart neckline. Her heels were also pink and her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, the smaller parts of her hair hanging out and framing her face.

"Hay" the girl said sheepishly. Mal shock her head and got up, pulling the girl into a tight hug. The girl laughed and returned the hug, smiling at a confused Uma who smiled back nervously.

"Audrey, what are you doing here ?" Mal asked after she pulled away from the princess but she held onto the girls hands, smiling when Audrey started to explain why she was at Audraon Prep instead of Sherwood Forest like she was meant to.

"Well Ben explained to me over the phone that three new students have come to Auradon. The daughter of Ursula, the son of Captain Hook and the son of Gaston which kinda confused me for a moment because Queen Belle and King Adam's past with Gaston but anyway, Ben explained that he wanted me to help them get ready for Cotillion and also help you because it's your first time. When I asked him why Evie couldn't because I had already sent her a text about everything you needed to do, Ben explained to me the whole Evie situation. I'm sorry I wasn't here when you needed me" Audrey apologised "I must seem like a terrible friend"

"Not at all, you didn't know and I didn't really want to worry you" Mal replied

"Well anyway, I came back and then went straight to your room but obviously you were here. By the way, there are two boys in your room. One has a hook the other had like brown hair but was very cute" Audrey blushed, realising that she said the last part out loud which made Uma and Mal share a small giggle at the princess' bright pink face. Trying to change the conversation, Audrey turned towards Uma and let go of Mal's hands, walking towards the other girl and smiling before introducing herself.

"Sorry, i'm Audrey. Sleeping Beauty's daughter" Audrey smiled as she held out her hand and Uma took it, shaking it while she introduced herself.

"Uma, daughter of Ursula" Uma replied. Uma then looked back at Mal, "Wait, you two are friends?"

"Yea, we became friends after Ben's coronation" Mal answered

"We finally realised how much alike we are" Audrey replied as she sat down on the bed.

It was true, Mal and Audrey became friends after Ben's coronation with the two girls spending a whole afternoon together at the request of Evie, while they talked about the past events. The two girls realised they had more in common then they believed when Audrey explained why she was so mean to Mal and her friends when they first arrived. To Mal's utter surprise, Audrey confessed that she was scared that Mal would hurt her or her family, a fear that became more understandable the more Mal thought about it. Mal then confessed that she had the same fear, that someone was going to turn on her family and send them back to the Isle where Mal could no longer look after them, that was why Mal was so distant- she didn't want to get attached to Auradon and then have to leave.

"Well, what are worried about with Cotillion ?" Audrey asked causing Uma to look at Mal, not sure she could fully trust the girl sat in front of her. Mal nodded at Uma and sat in her original position on the bed, next to Audrey who copied Mal's position and was now laying next to the purple haired teenager.

"Well, what is it actually about ?" Uma asked causing Audrey to sign at the utter ridiculous of it all.

"Well it is a party to celebrate the fact that Mal and Ben are engaged to be engaged to be engaged, I know confusing. After the party, Mal will start preparing for the role of queen for when she is older and if she marries Ben. She doesn't have to but it's kinda like how happily ever afters work here. Mal and Ben are basically proclaiming to the kingdom that they love each other, that's it" Audrey explained casually.

"But why can't they just say it in like an interview, why a massive party?" Uma asked

"We do thinks very weirdly here. It's like how a villain has ten steps to a plan that could of been completed in one. It's basically a show that that person really wants this because think about it, Maleficent had several different times where she could of killed my mother but didn't because she wanted to wait until my mother was sixteen" Audrey explained "It's all about showing power, that you can wait because you are sure that you will win, even through Maleficent didn't in the end"

"So having this massive party is like Ben saying to the whole world that he is so sure that this relationship will work that he can throw a massive unnecessary party to celebrate the fact that he and Mal haven't broken up?" Uma replied in a questioning tone

"Yea to put it simply" Audrey replied making Uma shake her head

"Wow that's dumb even for Auradon" Uma laughed making Mal and Audrey follow.

"Yea, well any other questions or do you want to go straight to the dresses and how to walk in them?" Audrey asked causing Mal to groan in annoyance.

Audrey knew that Mal wasn't a girly-girl and that the purple haired teen wasn't exactly thrilled about having to wear a dress, but Audrey tried to reassure Mal that it would be okay, "Walking in this dress can't be that bad. Remember you will have me and Uma by your side and we will both be wearing dresses"

"Well I am just going to get the dresses that will one hundred percent break my ankles. And then we can continue, yea?" Mal asked as she climbed off of the bed and wrapped a knee-length dressing gown around her for warmth.

"Yea, that's perfect" Uma smiled at her friend who said a quick goodbye before Mal left the room. Mal closed the dorm room door and walked towards Evie's office while Uma and Audrey looked out of the windows and signed in contentment at the faint sound of the birds tweeting and the happy laughs of students in the courtyard.

"Audrey, can I ask you something ?" Uma asked, turning to look at the princess who nodded for the daughter of Ursula to continue "Does Fairy Godmother use the wand in the Cotillion?"

"Well no but she holds it, she always has it when she is at important events" Audrey replied "Why do you ask ?"

"No reason ,and this may sound weird, but do you know how I could contract Ariel? I think she could help me with something" Uma asks

"Um, I think so" Audrey said slowly, "When do you need her by ?"

"Today" Uma answered

"Maybe see her in the music department, she should be there. She is a music teacher here"

"Thank you Audrey" Uma climbed off the bed and headed towards the door only to be stopped by Audrey asking where she was going, "Just tell Mal that I will see my dress later. Goodbye and great meeting you"

Uma rushed out of the room and towards her own room, quickly stopping to get changed into a simple pair of ripped jeans and a teal tank top with a leather jacket tied around her waist and her hair taken out of the bun and instead flowing down her back in the multicoloured braids she always wears. Uma had a plan and she was going to succeed in stopping her mother and if her cousin had to get involved, then so be it because there was one thing that Uma was sure about, and that was that she was going to make sure her family were safe and away from Ursula forever.

It didn't matter to Uma that her plan involved her best friends and boyfriend hating her, she knew that they would have every right to hate her if this plan worked and Uma knew she would be okay with the fact that her family would hate her, as long as they were okay and out of harms way. It was something she was taught a long time ago by the two girls she know calls her sisters, that family is the most of important thing in someones life, and it didn't matter what they think of you, they are still your family.

* * *

Uma walked into the music room to see shelves of instruments lining the room and a large piano sat in the centre of the grey room. The walls had paintings of violins, cellos and drums with musical notes surrounding the musical instruments printed onto the grey walls. The wooden floor squeaked as Uma closed the door and walked around the room, skimming her fingers on the top of the piano before sitting on the little stole in front of it and lifting the cover that hid the black and white keys.

Uma started to press the keys as she quietly hummed a melody, something she remembered hearing from Oceana and her boyfriend, Harris. Uma remembered all the times as a young girl, where she would sneak into the music room and listen to her sister play the piano and sing with the son of Hades until the late hours of the night where the two would find a sleeping Uma cuddled up in the corner of the room- she always fall asleep when listening to the beautiful melody.

 _"Lavender's blue, dilly, dilly,_  
 _Lavender's green._  
 _When I am king, dilly, dilly,_  
 _you shall be queen._

 _Who told you so, dilly, dilly_  
 _who told you so?_  
 _'Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly_  
 _that told me so._

 _Call up your men, dilly, dilly_  
 _set them to work._  
 _Some to the plough, dilly, dilly_  
 _some to the fork,_

 _some to make hay, dilly, dilly_  
 _some to cut corn._  
 _While you and I, dilly, dilly_  
 _keep ourselves warm._

 _Lavender's green dilly, dilly_  
 _Lavender's blue._  
 _If you love me, dilly, dilly,_  
 _I will love you._

 _Let the birds sing, dilly, dilly_  
 _and the lambs play,_  
 _we shall be safe, dilly, dilly,_  
 _out of harms way._

 _I love to dance, dilly, dilly_  
 _I love to sing._  
 _When I am queen, dilly, dilly_  
 _you'll be my king._

 _Who told me so, dilly, dilly_  
 _who told me so?_  
 _I told myself, dilly, dilly_  
 _I told me so"_

A small sign in contentment broke Uma out of her trance as she played the last few cords of the song, smiling to herself before looking up at the open door of the music room where a tall women stood with a small girl in front of her. She wore a teal and white polkadot summer dress that stopped at her knee's and had a heart neckline that was lined with teal lace. Her pointy shoes were a pale white and her long red hair flowed loosely down her back. She wore little to no makeup which made her faint freckles stand out and her blue eyes sparkle like a thousand diamonds in the sun.

The smaller girl in front of her looked very similar to the women behind her- with large blue eyes and the same warm smile but instead of red hair, the girls long hair was a midnight black. She was wearing a pair of red jeans with a white blouse that was half un-tucked and a small necklace that had a clam at the end with a name engraved in it which was to small for Uma to read.

"That was beautiful" the eldest women comments making Uma blush as she stood up from the stool in front of the piano "You look familiar, do I know you?"

"I was hoping you would say that. I'm not that good with introductions" Uma told the two women. "I'm not sure anyone would like me if I told them who I am, much less you"

"Well who are your parents ?" the smaller girl asked. To be fair to the young girl, she did look around eighteen and was almost the same height as the women behind her but she was skinnier then the other women, with muscles on her arms and legs that Uma suspected were formed after years of swimming in harsh waters.

"That's what I don't really want to tell you. I'm not from here" Uma explained

"Oh, where are you from ?" the older women asked

"The Isle" Uma replied sheepishly, never feeling more scared then what she was now.

"Oh, are you new or have you been here a while. Me and my daughter ,Melody, have just came here from Atlantis" The older women explained

"That means that you are Ariel" Uma replied, shock ringing through her voice as she spoke to the women who was technically her cousin. The older women nodded and Uma dropped into a small curtsy while shaking her head. Uma stood up properly before she started to pace up and down the music room, wondering if telling her newly found cousin that her aunt and Uma's mother wants to destroy all of Auradon was wise after all.

"The plan can work without her- wait, who am I kidding? I need her on my side or half my family is gone before I even meet them" Uma rambled on while Melody and Ariel looked at the unknown girl, wondering what plan she was talking about.

"What are you talking about ?" Melody asked

"My mother wants to destroy Auradon and your family mainly. I am trying to stop her but the only plan I have involves the people who I haven't meet before and who my mother wronged. My sister would know what to do, she always so good at making people forget who she was related too and instead who she was as a person" Uma explained as she stopped pacing and looked at a confused Ariel and Melody.

"Well, maybe tell us who your mother is and we will help. Trust me, we will not judge you" Ariel reassured Uma. Ariel stepped closer to Uma while Melody followed, keeping their distance away from Uma who backed away from her two new family members approached.

"I am Uma, Princess of the Isle and daughter of Ursula" Uma whispered but it came out louder then expected as Melody gasped but Ariel didn't react.

Ariel had grown up being treated a certain way just because of who her father was and yes, Ariel was shocked that Ursula had a child that she didn't know about but Ariel didn't see a monster in front of her- she saw a young teenage girl who was scared to be judged and wanted to help Auradon not be destroyed. Ariel saw in Uma what she saw in herself a long time ago, a timid and shy girl who could sometimes be confident and strong-headed, if only people stopped judging her based on who she was related too. Ariel saw a girl who was much stronger then people gave her credit for and someone who was brave enough to ask for help from people who could of turned her away just at the mention of who her mother was.

Ariel was sick and tired of people disliking other people just because of their families. Ariel was happy when Mal and Audrey put aside their differences and became friends but then she began to wonder who else was on the Isle. Ariel never thought Ursula could have a daughter, much less one as strong and kind as Uma seemed to be.

"I know, you properly don't want to help me. Its fine, I understand but I just wanted to get to know my family" Uma stepped forward and headed towards the door before she turned back around to be meet with a confused looking Ariel and a shocked looking Melody.

"My older sister, Oceana, she told me stories about you two. She said that Ariel was a strong mermaid that defied all of the rules to be who she wanted to be and that she was a good person. Oceana said that she had a daughter ,Melody, who was as stubborn and brave as her mother and saved the ocean like her mother did. You guys were amazing in the stories and I used to dream about meeting you two. I loved the idea of having a mermaid cousin and a princess who were part of my family. My younger sister, Pearl, she loved Melody the most. You were her hero and that's hard to be when Pearl is as strong-headed as she is" Uma explained

"I know what my mother did was wrong and that you should hate me, you have every right too but I just wanted to warn you. My mother will hurt this kingdom unless I stop her and the plan I have will hurt me emotionally but you are family, no matter what. Just get everyone you love away from here before my mother comes" Uma added.

"Wait" Melody called out as Uma put her hand on the door knob, ready to figure out a new plan to save Auradon without putting too many people in danger. Uma turned around and looked at the princess who smiled at her mum and stepped forward and was surprised when Uma didn't move back like she did moments ago.

"This Pearl, whats she like ?" Melody asked which made Uma smile and move to sit down on the stool in front of the piano while memories flashed through Uma's mind of her not so baby sister.

"She has long black hair and beautiful brown eyes with freckles and a stunning smile. She's just turned thirteen a couple of months ago but she is smart and every bit a princess" Uma smiled when she descried her sister, not noticing that Ariel and Melody had moved and where now closer to the daughter of Ursula- with Melody sat on an empty stool in front of Uma and Ariel lent on the piano as they imagined what Pearl would look like.

"Oceana, she's eighteen now. My older sister is amazing. She has dark purple hair and kind dark brown eyes with freckles like all of us have. She practically raised me and Pearl because our mother sure as hell wouldn't. I worked with Oceana at our mothers fish and chip shop while she was queen of the Isle after Mal left. Well, Mal and Oceana were like joint queens, Mal controlled her side of the Isle and Oceana had hers but they worked together to help the Isle people" Uma added

"So you are a princess?" Melody asked

"Not here and not like Evie is but on the Isle, yea. I was the one listening to the people and living like them, I loved doing it. Living with people who don't have anything made me realise how much I actually had and then I wrote letters to my older sister for her to know what was happening in her part of the Isle" Uma explained

"What is my aunt planning on doing ?" Ariel asked causing Uma to sign loudly.

"She wants the Triton and for me to do something. I need to get her the Triton and release her so she can rule Auradon or everyone I love gets hurt and i'm not letting that happen" Uma replied stubbornly as she stood up and started pacing again, ignoring the shocked looks from Melody and Ariel as she continued to explain what Ursula wants.

"My mother is smart- she knows my weaknesses and will use them against me. I have family on the Isle so they will be her first targets if I don't do this- I refuse to let my sisters be hurt because of me. If you help me I can stop my mother but I need you to do two things for me" Uma stopped pacing and turned to look at her two family members

"What is it?" Melody asked making Uma smile at the fact that her family were going to help her defeat Ursula for the finally time.

"I can't have anyone else figuring out the plan so please don't tell them. I need their reactions to be real so my mother beliefs it and if she casts a truth spell on them, they can honestly say that they didn't know the plan. And another thing, I need you two to be on the look out, around the Isle's barrier and deliver a message after stage two" Uma explained

"Whats stage two ?" Ariel asked

"Leave that to me but first, I need a fake Triton" Uma smirked

* * *

The early morning sun shone brightly through the drawn curtains of the empty ballroom where Evie and Queen Elsa were stood. The two women had been practising Evie's magic for the last hour now and the blue haired princess was started to get very frustrated with herself for not being able to control something that was apart of herself.

Evie was stood in the very centre of the room while Elsa circled the young girl and tried to understand what brings Evie's magic to the surface. Evie was stood in a pair of dark blue, leather trousers and a blue tank top, her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail and her face makeup free. Elsa ,however, was dressed very differently, with her long blue dress- that she first created when she ran away all those years ago- being swooshed behind her and her hair curled into perfect beach waves with her diamond crown resting perfectly atop of the queens head.

"I can't do it" Evie signed in frustration as she lowed her hands and turned to see the queen who was now standing beside the young princess.

"Yes you can, just breath and feel the magic" Elsa instructed making Evie tut and return her attention to the foam dummies that were lined up in front of her that all had targets on them.

"I can do this" Evie muttered before raising her hand up and laughing when a small blue flame appeared in the palm of her hands. Evie raised her hand and flicked her wrist, sending the fireball flying through the air and towards the lined up dummies. The fireball shot through the foam figures and hit the centre of the targets each time, burning a hole through each one of the dummies before Evie shock her hand and the fireball disappeared before it could hit the walls of the ballroom.

"Well done" Elsa praised the beaming teenager

"I did it" Evie muttered as she gazed at her un-burnt hands "I did it!"

"Yes, but remember to control your powers. This is a new ability so we don't know how many powers you have or how dangerous they can be. For all we know, you could be the most powerful creature in the whole of Auradon" Elsa explained in a kind voice

"I understand" Evie beamed

"So why don't you do it again ?" Evie bit her lip in excitement as she turned to face the magical dummies that were now fixed up again and perfectly lined up.

The two girls continued to train until lunch time where Elsa invited Evie to eat lunch with the family but Evie declined kindly and stated that she wasn't hungry after the amazing training session she had just completed where she could still feel the magic coursing through her whole body. Elsa understood this and left the room, explaining to Evie where she would be if the teenager changed her mind, before fully closing the door.

 _"Flower gleam and glow,_  
 _let your power shine._  
 _Make the clock reverse,_  
 _bring back what once was mine._

 _Heal what has been hurt,_  
 _change the fates design._  
 _Save what has been lost,_  
 _bring back what once was mine._

 _What once was mine"_

A small flash of light from Evie's wrist made the teen smile as lifted up her wrist to see the once faint birthmark in the shape of a blooming flower become a gold, shimmering imprint that looked like a thousand fireflies glows were trapped under the girls skin. Evie smiled as she looked in one of the floor length mirrors to see that her dark blue hair had changed colour.

Her dark blue locks were replaced with a light blue colouring on the top of her head that faded into a light red. The ombre colour was slow changing as Evie's hair had grown so it ended at the back of her knee's, something the young girl loved as she twirled around the room. Her parting was at the side instead of the middle, letting her hair cover half of her face which made Evie smiled at the memories running through her mind as she ran her hand through her hair.

Memories Evie told herself to forget but she couldn't. The memories contained two people Evie wished she could see again but she knew it was impossible. No matter what, Evie knew she couldn't see the teenage boy in memories again- he reminded her to much of her father as he and Evie looked identical to their father. The only man who ever cared for Evie and -even though he was one of the worst villains to ever be- Evie could tell that he loved her like a father should.

Evie had missed her father and older brother since the young age of twelve- when her mother ordered her to stay away from her fathers side of the family when he told The Evil Queen that he would take Evie away if she didn't start treating their daughter right. Of course, The Evil Queen didn't listen and instead ordered Evie to never see her father or older brother again, which broke the princesses heart.

Her father was a caring man towards his only daughter and Evie's older brother was more protective over the blue haired girl then Jay or Carlos were ever. Evie has never shown her friends her real hair because then they would know who her father was, and her friends have no idea that Evie has an older brother that they have spent almost half of their life getting to know without knowing who he was truly related too.

But as Evie twirled around the room, she finally didn't feel alone anyone. Of course, she still missed her father and brother but she knew that as long as she continued to practise her magic, she would be connected to them and never lose them again- even if she couldn't hug them or tell them how much she loved them, she was thank full that ,at least, she was close to them in some way. Her magic.

* * *

 **Please comment who you think Evie is referring to in the final parts of this chapter. I know I haven't been updating a lot but I am working on a new story that I am already two (starting the third soon) chapters on so if you want me to upload that then I will but comment what you think.**

 **I got an amazing suggestion from MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery that Audrey would be a great carer for Dizzy and that she could also date Gil and it worked out perfectly for the overall idea of this story so thank you for commenting.**

 **P.S. I would totally recommend reading some of MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery work because it is amazing. I am currently reading "His King & His Lady" and it is one of the best one-short books about Mal and Ben's lives I have actually read so please follow MaliceMalAmyMalevFaery. **

**Please comment what you think Uma's plan is to stop her mother from destroying Auradon. Thanks for reading!**


	20. Dresses and suits

After informing Ariel and Melody of what the plan was and making sure they understood it perfectly, Uma practically sprinted out of the music room when she received a text message from Harry, telling her that he was in an emergency 'only she could fix' which let an uneasy feeling appear in the bottom of Uma's stomach when she thought about the danger Harry could be in. Before she knew it, Uma was stood in front of Harry's dorm room door, listening closely for any sign that her boyfriend was in danger of being hurt. After listening for a couple of seconds and hearing nothing, Uma began to wonder what the emergency actually was.

Couldn't he do his eye-liner correctly? Couldn't he find his hook (even though he had around five different hooks to use)? He couldn't find the perfect side to swoosh his hair (it had happened before and it took Uma an hour to convince Harry that his hair was perfect!)

Uma had no idea what the so-called 'emergency' could be or why she had to be the one to fix it. But nevertheless, Uma opened the dorm room door and instantly, the frown that was once on her features turned into a cheeky grin. His hook and the eye-liner pencil that sat untouched on his bedside table were both fine and unharmed. But in Uma's eyes, Harry was much more than _fine_.

Harry was stood in the middle of his room, smiling at Uma as she slowly walked into the room and closed the door behind her before moving to circle the pirate and look at his new outfit. To the utter surprise of Uma, Harry was wearing a burgundy coloured suit with a white button up top underneath it and a dark teal bowtie. The pants of the suit matched the jacket and Harry's shoes were so shiny, Uma could have sworn that she saw her reflection in them. Harry didn't have his usual think eye-liner on but his sea-blue eyes still stood out from underneath his swooshed-to-the-side, messy brown hair even without the makeup. And to top the whole outfit off, half-hidden within Harry's pocket was a pocket-handkerchief that had a squid embroidered in the white silk.

"You like?" Harry asked a still shocked Uma. Harry may have dressed like a prince but his think Scottish accent reminded Uma of something she already knew, he was her first mate to the death and she was his captain. Uma grinned like the Chesser Cat and nodded, running her finger along Harry's covered shoulders as she followed the stitching all the way to the front of the jacket.

"I love it" Uma whispered before pulling on the side of Harry's jacket and connecting her lips with his in a loving kiss that was anything but gentle. Harry smiled into the kiss as he wrapped his arms around Uma's waist and pulled her closer to his chest. Although he was wearing a white shirt on top of his chest, she could still very clearly the well-defined six-pack that was formed after years of sword fighting and living on the Isle. With that being said, it didn't surprise Harry that Uma started to trace the defined lines of his abs while the kiss continued.

The two were so engrossed within the kiss that they didn't hear the repetitive knocking on the hardwood of the door until a loud and uncomfortable cough broke the silence and made Uma and Harry simultaneously pull away and turn around while trying to catch their breaths.

"Are you two done?" Mal asked in a frustrated voice which made Audrey turn to the purple haired girl in shock. The two girls had just walked in on the pirate and captain kissing like they were going to be ripped apart from each other the moment one of them pulled away and Mal was acting like it was the most normal thing she had ever seen! Mal turned and laughed at the shocked and confused look on Audrey's face and began to explain while Harry wiped off the smudged pink lipstick and Uma began fixing her own.

"The two didn't really get to kiss on the Isle when in public and couldn't do it at their homes because of their siblings and parents so when Uma and Harry were at our hideout, they basically kissed every single second of the day until they had to leave or until they fall asleep from lake of oxygen" Mal joked which made Uma glare playfully at Mal.

"Mal, stop scaring the poor girl" Uma replied as she fixed her lipstick in Harry's mirror, "we did not just kiss you know" Uma hinted which made Audrey and Mal gasp.

"Uma" Mal scolded, a smile on her otherwise mortified face, "Audrey is from Auradon, she can't handle these type of things. They barely kiss here let alone do... _that_ " Mal walked towards Gil's bed and sat down, watching as Audrey placed the two bags next to her as she sat next to Mal.

"Fine" Uma huffed, turning around in her chair and looking at the two bags on the bed, "what are those for?"

"Well, we were thinking that we could try on our dresses. You know for tonight" Mal explained as Harry moved towards Uma and rested his hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up and smile at him before placing her head on his hand and smile at the two girls- a silent agreement to try on the dresses which made Audrey squeal excitably as Mal smiled at the nervous daughter of Ursula.

"No boys can see through," Audrey said as her eyes landed on Harry after she stopped squealing on the top of her lungs- something Mal and Uma were both thankful for. Harry was about to protest but Uma looked up at him and raised her eyebrow but either Harry didn't notice or he didn't care because he continued to protest nonetheless.

"No, I am Uma's boyfriend I should be able to see my amazing girlfriend wearing an amazing dress so I can tell her that she is amazing" Harry started. Uma knew that Harry was only saying how 'amazing' Uma is because he wanted to stay but it was still nice to hear the compliment from her boyfriend, despite the fact that he basically called her a walking goddess every day.

"Harry" Uma interrupted which made Harry look down at his girlfriend with pleading puppy-dog eyes that Uma falls for nine times out of ten, but today was one of those days were the eyes didn't work on the daughter of Ursula. "I want the dress to be a surprise and it will only be like three hours before I am all yours again. Please... for me"

After thinking it through for a couple of seconds, Harry agreed with obvious hesitation as to leaving his girlfriend alone with two girls where anything could happen, but nevertheless, he agreed which made Uma smile. Harry was very protective over Uma so it was nice for the sea witch's daughter to have some alone time where Harry wasn't worried about her safety like he always was on the Isle. Uma smiled up at Harry as he leaned down for a kiss, completely ignoring the fact that Audrey and Mal were both still in the room.

"Harry she is not going off to war, it's just a dress fitting" Mal exclaimed, "now come on. I haven't seen Uma in anything but ripped jeans and tank-tops and that has to change ASAP"

"You sound like Evie" Uma commented as she pulled away from Harry's kiss, and turned to Mal, raising an eyebrow at the purple haired teen as if she was waiting for a comeback.

"Harry," Mal says, clicking her fingers at the pirate and pointing towards the door, "Out. Now"

"Come on, Hook-boy. Time to go" Uma added as she looked at Harry who was pouting, "don't pout. It doesn't suit ya. I will be fine and if not, I will come and find you okay?"

"Fine, love" Harry huffed before giving Uma one last kiss and exciting the room, bowing his head slightly at the two other girls as he went. Harry closed the dorm room door behind him and walked off to find Ben- the pirate needed to ask him something.

"He is hard work" Mal huffed as she got up from the bed and locked the door.

"I think it's sweet" Audrey argued, "you don't get many boys like that other here"

"For a reason" Mal shots back as she smirked at Uma, "Harry is one of a kind and it should probably stay that way"

"Leave my boyfriend alone" Uma smiled "but you are right, we do not need another Harry Hook"

"What's so bad about him?" Audrey asked as she looked at the closed door in wonder. Audrey wondered how Mal and Uma didn't want another Harry Hook walking around the kingdom- with his good looks and prince-like charm, it was easy to see why Uma fall head over heels for the pirate. Audrey looked back at Uma and noticed the girl was blushing when the conversation quickly changed to how good of a boyfriend Harry was and how much he loves Uma.

"He loves Uma and that is very hard to admit" Mal started to explain, looking at Uma who nodded for her to continue, "Love is something that is frowned upon on the Isle so to find it and keep it, takes real power. The minute news got out about Harry and Uma dating, every boy wanted Uma and every girl wanted Harry- just so they would break up"

"Yea but they never succeed" Uma bragged as she lent back in her chair, twiddling a piece of her hair between her fingers which made Audrey and Mal smile and giggle.

"True, so who wants to try their dress first?" Audrey asked excitably.

"Me" Mal answered quickly making Uma and Audrey look at the purple haired teen with confusion, with led to the teenager explaining her excitableness. "Evie said she was working on my dress and that it was amazing before I left for the Isle and then she said she changed it a bit so I want to see it"

"Well, I wasn't going first so" Uma trailed off as Mal silently squealed and took one of the bags that were placed on the bed and rushed to the conjoining bathroom. Audrey and Uma shared a look before bursting into laughter. "She is so turning into Evie" Uma laughed as she clutched her stomach, with Audrey copying her movements.

"And she said she hated dresses" Audrey commented as she wiped away the tears that had started to form in the corner of her dark brown eyes. "Did you see Ariel?"

"Yea, thanks. And Melody" Uma replied causing Audrey to nod and smile, "They seem like amazing people"

"They are" Audrey replied with a smile, remembering all the times Ariel and Melody helped her do what was right, even if that wasn't the easiest thing to do in that situation. Melody and Ariel helped Audrey and Mal become friends and even went as far as to lock the two girls into a room to sort out their problems with the help of Evie, Jay, Carlos and Ben. The two women had helped Audrey through so much so it was nice for the daughter of Sleeping Beauty to see Uma go to her family for help and sound like she enjoyed meeting them- even if it was only for a short amount of time and the only thing they talked about was the possibility of Ursula taking over all of Auradon in less than seven hours.

Uma raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at the princess, silently asking Audrey to explain how she knew her cousins. Uma was beyond glad that Audrey knew about Ariel and Melody, especially Melody as the teenager reminded Uma a lot of her older sister -the same stubbornness and strong will that led to Oceana becoming queen of the Isle was also found in Melody- and hoped that the princess would be able to tell Uma a lot more about her newly acquired family members than what she listened to in the bedtime stories Oceana would tell her when she was going to sleep.

"Melody is around four or so years older than me, but we managed to go to school together for some time. She used to help me in Princess Manners 101" Audrey explained, smiling at the memories that came flooding back which involved her seemingly long lost friend. "She and her mother come here often. Melody wants to be a music teacher here and has already got the grades to do so so she is just training with her mother for the time being"

"How? When I saw Melody she only looked around eighteen. Isn't she?" Uma commented which made Audrey chuckle in amusement as she remembered when she made the same mistakes.

"No. Melody is twenty-two years old" Audrey started which made Uma gasp with surprise. "The power of the sea I guess. I have to wear a face mask every night and yet all Melody has to do is wake up. And knowing Melody she wasn't even wearing makeup when you saw her. Hates the stuff, really. Says it hid's the true beauty within"

"Sounds like Oceana" Uma commented which made Audrey smile. "Hates makeup. Always said that the ten minutes I spent doing my makeup is ten minutes for her to sign two documents that help our people. After that, I never wore makeup again- only on special occasions that is"

"I never thought of it like that" Audrey replied as she thought back to all the times she saw any of the Isle children wearing a lot of makeup. Even Evie only wore a light coat of foundation and powder, blush and some contour and then a light shade of rouge for her lips. It seemed that Evie was always trying to help people instead of worrying about if her lipstick was still intact and vibrant- unlike Audrey who was itching to check her mirror as she and Uma talked.

"Yea, trust my sister to guilt me into disliking makeup" Uma joked as she lent back in her chair. A loud knock on the bathroom door brock the two princesses out of their conversation and made their attention switch to the slightly open door and the purple-haired head pocking out of the gap. Uma and Audrey shared a confused look before giggling and smiling at Mal, silently asking her what she was doing.

"This may seem weird but Audrey can you help me with his dress? Evie made this complicated" Mal asked which caused the two princesses to giggle again before Audrey nodded and Mal's head retreated back into the bathroom. Audrey shook her head before getting up and walking towards the bathroom while Uma took out her phone from her pocket and started to scroll through her messages.

"Goodluck" Uma called as she heard the bathroom door open and Audrey reply with a quick 'thanks' before walking into the bathroom, tuting under her breath as she closed the bathroom door and proceeded to help Mal with the lace back of her dress. Uma smiled as she saw that Melody had texted her on how the process of stage two was going.

 _Melody- "I just wanted to say that we have the fake Tritiont and are returning to school now. Luckily grandfather was able to spell it so it will only work for you. He said that he really wants to meet you, after all this goes over, and wants to make you a princess of the sea too (with Oceana and Pearl too of course) because you will not only save our family but Auradon. Anyway, we will be back in half an hour or so. See you then, Uma. xx"_

Uma smiled at the message and quickly wrote a reply, looking up at the bathroom door every once in a while, to make sure that Audrey and Mal weren't coming back into the room just yet.

 _Uma- "Hay Melody, thanks for doing this. How is Ariel doing with all this? I really hope she is okay and not worrying too much. Tell your grandfather that I would be honoured but maybe later- after all this you know? Oceana and Pearl are still on the Isle so being princesses of the sea won't really help but_ I'm _sure they would love it anyway. I can't wait for all this to be over and to really get to know my family. See you later, Melody. xx"_

Uma turned off her phone and placed in quickly back into her pocket at the sound of the bathroom door opening and the two friends walking out of the room, with Audrey holding the back of Mal's train as the purple haired teen carefully walked in her high heels. Uma gasped at the beautiful, purple and black dress that seemed to mould itself perfectly to Mal's figure. The toll of the dress looked burnt and blackened as the purple slowly climbed up the skirt and engulfed the torso of the purple dress. The torso was covered in little, black and purple beads that created a 'V' shape, pointing towards the floor and the train of the dress also had the little beads embroidered within the sheer fabric that was littered with a range of different sized holes. The diamond tiara sparkled in the early morning light that shone through the bedroom windows and reflected off the purple and black diamonds. The base of the tiara was simple: a gold band wrapped around itself which made it look like branches on an old oak tree and the diamonds looked like hidden roses that were just started to bloom in the early spring.

In Uma's opinion, the dress highlighted the best Auradon parts of Mal like her kindness but also showed everyone that she was still an Isle girl, by displaying her strength in a dress that looked like she was a powerful dragon, best not to mess with.

Mal smiled nervously as she looked at Uma, waiting for the teenager to speak but she didn't. Uma just sat there, admiring the dress and her best friend's genuine smile once she saw the huge, teary-eyed smile of the daughter of Ursula. Uma smiled and wiped away the tears that had started to form in the corners of her dark brown eyes as she stood up from the chair she was previously sat in and walked closer to Mal, taking her hands in her own once she reached the daughter of Maleficent. Audrey walked around Mal and stood next to Uma, who let go off one of Mal's hands and took Audrey's hand instead, with Mal copying her actions.

"You look beautiful" Uma finally commented just above a whisper which made Mal smile.

"Like a true queen" Audrey added. Uma smiled and nodded in agreement, looking Mal up and down as she admired the beautiful lace detailing on the bodice. Mal smiled and blushed at the comments while Audrey and Uma giggled at Maleficent daughters reaction.

"I feel..." Mal trailed off. There was no word in any dictionary to ever exist that could describe how Mal felt when she turned around and saw herself in the floor-length mirror. Words like beautiful, enchanting or even regal didn't seem to come remotely close to how the purple-haired teenager was feeling when she saw the time-consuming dress her best friend had made especially for her.

"You look... wow" Uma breathed out, smiling when Audrey nodded in agreement.

"I feel like you" Mal exclaimed, looking at Audrey who smiled and rolled her eyes, subconsciously placing her hand on her hip as she did so. Audrey stuck out her tongue to the future Lady Of The Court which made Mal smile and do the same.

"Okay" Uma interrupted the staring competition as she placed her hand on her hip, gaining the attention of the two smiling girls. "Why doesn't Audrey go change into her dress and I will go get Dizzy?" Uma suggested making Audrey squeal with excitement and Mal nod.

"Okay" Mal answered for Audrey who was busy rushing to get her bag and almost ran towards the bathroom which made Mal and Uma chuckle at her eagerness to try on her custom-made dress. Uma and Mal shared one final hug before Mal went back to looking at her own dress in the mirror and Uma walked out of the boy's room, her phone in her hand as she texted Harry to see where he went to.

 _Uma- Hi. Where are you? I'm just going to Diz and then back to your room._

 _Harry- Hay, are you okay? I'm with Diz now, in Ben's office room. He, Jay and Carlos have gone to get their suits but I stayed with Diz._

Uma smiled at the text, wondering how Harry was able to text so quickly. But she shrugged it off and continued to walk to Ben's office, passing some students on the way who gave Uma confused looks but greeted her kindly none the less. Uma suspected that they didn't quite know who she was yet but after Cotillion, they would know her as 'the girl who almost destroyed Auradon'- _some legacy_ she thought bitterly as she passed by a bunch of princesses who almost glared at her. She remembered that they were some of the princesses who were throwing themselves at Harry when he walked down the halls towards Uma's room with her breakfast from the canteen earlier that morning.

Luckily for the princesses, Harry decided to call Uma right then as Uma was about to confront the three snobby princesses. Uma smiled at the name on the phone- 'Pirate Boy' was her nickname for the son of Captian Hook so it was only fitting that that was the name on Uma's phone for her boyfriend. Uma stopped walking and leant against the wooden walls of the corridor, just opposite the glaring princesses who were obviously spying on Uma.

"Hay Pirate" Uma answered, causing a couple of scoffs that quickly turned into fake coughs when Uma raised her eyebrows at the three princesses.

"Hay Captian" Harry answered back which caused Uma to giggle at the nickname.

"What you doing? I was just coming to get Diz" Uma informed her boyfriend who chuckled

"Yea, well I told Diz that but she wanted to see you. Something important she said so expect something tight around your waist in 3...2...1" Before Uma could ask her boyfriend what he was talking about, she felt two tight arms wrap around her waist, almost knocking her over as a little girl hugged Uma tightly. It took Uma a second to respond, having not expected the almost rugby tackle, but after a second, Uma wrapped her arms around Dizzy and placed her chin on the little girls head.

"Hay Diz" Uma smiled, earning a couple of scoffs from the watching princesses but Uma didn't care as she let go of Dizzy and kneeled in front of the young girl so she could look her in the eyes. "What can I help you with?"

"Harry mentioned a dress by Evie" Dizzy practically squealed in excitement. Uma tried to ignore the way the princesses practically swooned when Harry's name was mentioned, but she just couldn't. On the Isle, Uma and Harry had to fight every day to prove to everyone that nothing on earth could break the two up but what no one knew was that, just like Harry is protective over Uma, Uma is protective over her first mate as well. Uma hated that everytime the couple walked down the dirty streets of the Isle, some attractive woman tried to flirt with Harry like Uma wasn't even there. It made her self-conscious because -even though Harry denied the requests every time and insisted that he and Uma were going to stay together- he could have dumped Uma and ran off with someone who, in Uma's mind, was much more prettier than Uma was.

Uma hated to think such a thing but she had too. Uma knew it affected Harry every time a boy flirted with Uma- although none of them was stupid enough to do it in front of her first mate or her crew, knowing they would get 'hooked' or feed to the sharks if they even looked at Uma the wrong way. But Uma knew it wasn't the same. The boys that flirted with Uma had muscles, but none like Harry's. They had charming smiles, but not like Harry's. They were a danger, but not like Harry. In Uma's eyes though, the girls that flirted with Harry were prettier, more charming, and were more talented than Uma. They didn't have borders up like Uma did. They didn't have problems trusting people like Uma did. They weren't the type of girl to take charge and lead the boys when they were in danger like Uma was. Harry could have had any one of those girls if he wanted to but instead, he stayed with Uma and fought for their relationship.

"Nah love, I said Uma may have a surprise for you. I never said anything about a dress" A voice called out from the hallway making Uma smile as she stood up properly and saw the boy she was lucky enough to call her boyfriend, walking down the corridor, still in his burgundy suit from earlier. Harry smiled at his girlfriend, ignoring the lust filled eyes of the princesses as he walked past them and towards Uma, wrapping his arm around her waist as he placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head and looked back at Dizzy who was smiling at the couple's actions.

"That's the same thing" Dizzy exclaimed, before her face turned very serious "So where's the surprise?"

"What's the magic word?" Uma teased making Dizzy smile in apology.

"Sorry. Please, may I see my surprise, please?" Dizzy asked with an innocent smile which made Uma's heart melt. Uma nodded making Dizzy squeal and hug Uma tightly around the waist.

"Diz, why don't you go down to my room and find Mal and Audrey while I talk to Uma" Harry suggested, not missing the way the three princesses smile's dropped when they heard that Harry wanted to be alone with Uma. Harry may have ignored it but Uma didn't and it made her wonder why Harry wanted to speak to her alone. Uma shock the thoughts running through her head off as she tensed slightly in Harry's arms making the first mate run his hand up and down her arm to calm her down and reassure her that everything was going to be fine- but it didn't help like it usually did and only made Uma tense more.

"Sure" Dizzy agreed happily, saying goodbye to the couple quickly before skipping off towards Harry's room. Uma smiled sweetly as she watched Dizzy quicken into a jog and turned the corner, disappearing from her view. Harry unwrapped his arms from around Uma's waist, moving to stand in front of his girlfriend who was looking towards the floor- something she never did. Harry placed his finger under her chin and made her look into his dazzling blue eyes, which seemed to sparkle with worry and concern for his girlfriend.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked which made Uma put on a fake smile and shake her head, not wanting to express her worries to him.

"Nothing, I'm fine" Uma lied making Harry raise an eyebrow at the clear lie.

"Don't lie, what's wrong?" Harry asked again, causing Uma to sign and look back at the ground.

"It's just like the Isle all over again" Uma muttered "I don't want to fight every day because you have countless girls looking at you like you are single or like I don't exist. Just date them. I would much rather watch you be happy with someone else than watch pretty girls throw themselves at you constantly and you give pity on me so you date me" Uma continued, looking at Harry with eyes that glistened with unshed tears. Harry stepped closer to Uma who just stood still, waiting for him to tell her that they were done and he had found someone else.

"You are better than all of those princesses. You are smart and talented and strong" Harry started, looking at Uma with pleading eyes, begging her to listen to him and remember the strong and fearless woman he fell in love with all those years ago.

"I am stubborn and bossy and feisty and I don't listen or do what I'm told" Uma interrupted and for the first time, Harry could see why she was so upset over all those princesses flirting with him. _She think's she isn't good enough_ Harry thought sadly as he looked down at the girl he loved, the same girl who now looked worried, scared and utterly lost. "I am the type of girl to fight for what I want. I'm not spoilt like the other girls here. I don't have heroic parents or a title. I have nothing. No matter what happens, weather Mal becomes the Lady Of The Court or I wear a princess dress, I will always be an outsider.

You fit in. You have the looks, the charm and you are exactly like all those other princes here. You can be stubborn and bossy and you can fight for what you want but I can't. Because I am a _girl_. I am supposed to like dress and gossip about boys and love makeup. But that's not me! I hate wearing makeup. I don't like big puffy dresses and I don't gossip. I sword fight. I argue back and I am not afraid to say my beliefs. Just... all I am saying is that I want you to be happy here, and if that means that you have to break up with me and date a princess than go for it" Uma continued, tears filling her eyes as her voice grew louder, letting the observing princesses listen to their conversation.

"You are perfect for me" Harry insisted, stepping closer but Uma stepped back.

"No I'm not" Uma whispered back. "I am the only thing stopping you from enjoying Auradon. Every girl here wants to date you, wants to kiss you and wants to be the one on your arm for Cotillion"

"I don't care what those other girls want. Give me your hand" Harry instructed and Uma did so, gently placing her delicate hand into Harry's much larger one before wrapping his fingers around it. Harry unhooked his jacket and placed Uma's hand on his chest, directly on his fastly beating heart. "You make my heart beat. No one else, only you" Harry ensured as Uma felt his heart beat quickly under her touch.

"I don't care that you are stubborn or bossy or argumentative. Those are the parts of you that I fall in love with. No one else is like you and that makes you special. I love everything about you, from the way you argue to the way you protect everyone you love. I love the fact that you hate makeup and I love the fact that you feel so beautiful in jeans and a tank-top because that's what makes you beautiful" Harry confessed which made Uma smile through the small tears that gathered in the corners of her dark brown eyes.

"You promise that you love me?" Uma whispered making Harry nod. "You don't care that I'm not as beautiful as those princesses. Or that I don't have a title or heroic parents?"

Harry shook his head and got down on one knee, making Uma blush from embarrassment as he started to hum a love song Uma was all too familiar with. Oceana and Harris used to sing this song to Uma when she had a nightmare many years ago and it always used to remind Uma of a certain first mate.

 _"What would I do without your smart mouth?_  
 _Drawing me in, and you kicking me out._  
 _You've got my head spinning,_  
 _no kidding, I can't pin you down"_

Harry sung softly, ignoring the grunts and groans of the observing princesses who all moaned that they should be the ones being sung to right now, and instead, focusing on his tear eyed girlfriend who was smiling from ear to ear.

 _"What's going on in that beautiful mind?_  
 _I'm on your magical mystery ride._  
 _And I'm so dizzy,_  
 _don't know what hit me,_  
 _but_ I'll _be alright"_

Uma blushed and looked down, only for Harry to place his finger under her chin and make her look up as he stood back up to his original height, which was about a head or so taller than Uma. Uma didn't really mind the height difference though. It just meant that Harry had to lean down to be able to kiss his captain but it also meant that Uma could wrap her arms around her boyfriend easily whenever she needed a hug, which Harry was the best at.

 _"My head's underwater._  
 _But I'm breathing fine._  
 _Your crazy and I'm out of my mind._

 _Cause all of me,_  
 _loves all of you._  
 _Love your curves and all your edges,_  
 _all your perfect imperfections._  
 _Give your all to me,_  
 _I'll give my all to you._

 _You're my end and my beginning._  
 _Even when I lose I'm winning._  
 _Cause I give you all of me,_  
 _And you give me all of you, oh"_

Harry and Uma were too busy gazing into each other's eyes to notice the three girls come from around the corner and suddenly stop when they saw the couple. The three princesses had since left, which meant that the only people in the corridor were the three new arrivals and Harry and Uma, both of which still hadn't noticed the three girls who were smiling from ear to ear at the couple.

 _"How many times do I have to tell you?_  
 _Even when you're crying you're beautiful too._  
 _The world is beating you down,_  
 _I'm around through every mood._

 _You're my downfall, you're my muse._  
 _My worst distractions, my rhythm and blues._  
 _I can't stop singing, it's ringing,_  
 _in my head for you._

 _My head's underwater_  
 _But I'm breathing fine._  
 _You're crazy and I'm out of my mind._

 _Cause all of me_  
 _loves all of you_  
 _love your curves and all your edges._  
 _All your perfect imperfections._

 _Give your all to me,_  
 _I'll give my all to you._  
 _You're my end and my beginning,_  
 _even when I lose I'm winning._  
 _Cause I give you all of me,_  
 _and you give me all of you, oh._

 _Give me all of you._  
 _Cards on the table, we're both showing hearts._  
 _Risking it all, though it's hard._

 _Cause all of me,_  
 _loves all of you_  
 _love all your curves and all your edges._  
 _All your perfect imperfections._

 _Give your all to me,_  
 _I'll give my all to you._  
 _You're my end and my beginning,_  
 _even when I lose I'm winning._  
 _Cause I give you all of me,_  
 _and you give me all of you._

 _I give you all of me_  
 _and you give me all of you, oh"_

After Harry had finished, he wrapped his arm around his girlfriend's waist and pulled her closer, resting his forehead in her own as she relaxed into his touch. Uma smiled as she placed her hands on Harry's chest, her smile growing and tears pricking at her eyes once she felt the steady beat of Harry's heart that sang like a love song. "I love you so much" Uma whispered as she looked through her long eyelashes to see her smiling boyfriend.

"That was beautiful" A voice broke out and the couple turned to see Melody, Ariel and a new girl. The new girl looked identical to Melody; the same large blue eyes a warm smile that made Uma smile back, even though she had no idea who the new girl was. The only difference between the two girls was that unlike Melody's midnight black hair, the new girl's hair was a light shade of red that sparkled in the corridor's lightening, highlighting the natural beach wave curls that she had.

Uma smiled at Ariel, turning around so her back was pressed onto Harry's chest as he repositioned his arms around her waist and placed his chin on the crock of Uma's neck. "Hello, Melody, Ariel. Who's your new friend?" Uma asked, trying to sound as nice as possible so she wouldn't scare the poor girl was stood slightly behind Melody. The girl looked to be four or five years younger than Pearl, meaning she was around nine. Uma smiled as she thought of her little sister who is also shy when it comes to meeting new people, just like the new girl seems to be.

"This is my younger sister, Harmony" Melody introduced. Uma nodded and smiled at the little girl who copied her actions but still stayed behind Melody which made Uma chuckle lightly. Melody eyed Harry, having not met the pirate before, so she wondered why he had his arm wrapped around the girl she considered more of an adopted sister than the second cousin she really was.

Before Melody could ask the question, Ariel stepped forward and smiled at Harry before directing her attention to Uma, most noticeably, the secure arm wrapped around her waist that belonged to the smirking pirate. "And who is this?" Ariel asked causing Uma to giggle slightly. _This seems like Deja Vu_ she thought amusingly as she watched Melody and Harmony step forward to be in line with their mother.

"Harry Hook, your majesty" Harry introduced himself as he bowed his head at the princesses and queen in front of him. Ariel raised an eyebrow at Uma, silently asking her who this boy was which made Uma giggle slightly.

"Ariel, Melody, Harmony, this is my boyfriend" Uma shyly told her family members. Melody squealed slightly while Ariel smiled at the boy in front of her, and tried to ignore the way Melody was asking a thousand questions for the young couple to answer.

"When did you guys meet? Are you both pirates? Was it love at first sight? Does Harry have any siblings? How did Pearl react? Does she know? What about Oceana?" Melody rambled on, looking at the couple who smiled at the princesses eagerness to know more about their relationship.

"Wow she is protective" Harry whispered to Uma as he kissed her neck, smiling at the soft giggles that escaped her lips as she placed her hand on his cheeks, removing his soft lips from the skin of her neck. The couple were so entranced with each other that they didn't notice Ariel look back at her rambling daughter and shake her head, effectively making Melody stop talking and instead, focus her attention onto Uma's large and happy smile which made Melody smile in return.

"I can guarantee, Melody, that my sister knows about this relationship and gave her blessing for it. As for Harry's family, he has two sisters. One called Harriet who is older by two years and CJ who is younger by four years. Yes, we are both pirates but I am captain while he is my first mate and Pearl was ecstatic when I first introduced Harry" Uma explained as she looked back at a gleaming Melody and Ariel while Harmony stayed behind her sister.

"Well then" Ariel started as she stepped forward, "I would love to have a conversation with Harry if you don't mind Uma, while you and Harmony get to know each other. It will only take a moment"

Uma looked up at her boyfriend who shrugged and unwrapped his arms from around Uma's waist. Ariel smiled as she and Melody walked a little further down the corridor, the three talking quietly amongst themselves as Uma smiled and nodded reassuringly towards her boyfriend before turning to see a curious Harmony.

"Hello, Harmony. I'm Uma" Uma greeted as she bent down to Harmony's level, staying exactly where she was in fear of scaring the poor girl. Harmony looked at Uma and titled her head to the side, staring at Uma's long, braided teal hair in astonishment as she unknowingly stepped towards the teenager. Harmony reached forward and took a single braid of Uma's, twirling it between her fingers as she stared at it intently making Uma smile.

"Is this your real hair?" Harmony whispered making Uma nod.

"Yes, it is. My hair is teal while my friend, Mal's, is purple and my other friend, Evie's, is blue" Uma explained which made Harmony look up at the girl in shock. All her life, Harmony thought that people could only have blonde, ginger or brown hair or natural colours, but she never thought that people could have natural purple, blue or teal hair. The thought alone made Harmony's head spiral with images of herself with purple or blue or even teal hair instead of the, in her opinion, boring red she inherited from her mother.

"Could I have teal coloured hair?" Harmony asked which caused Uma to chuckle.

"Well, my older sister told me that if you wish on the second star to the right, and you truly believe, then anything is possible," Uma told the smiling princess who looked up at Uma with a shocked look. "That's how I got my hair colour. Before I had this colour hair, I had light brown" Uma lied but the princess believed it as she grinned happily to the teenager.

"How long did it take to change?" Harmony asked excitably, her smile widening when she saw Uma thinking of an answer.

"Well, I asked the star to change my hair every night for a week but it only worked when my older sister asked too. After that, one minute I had light brown hair and the next, I had teal" Uma lied again but the smile on Harmony's face made it all worth it as Harmony jumped up and down on the spot, gaining the attention of Ariel, Melody and Harry who all started to make their way to the two princesses.

"Can you ask the star too and then I can have teal hair?" Harmony asked, making her sister and mother both confused while Harry just shook his head in amusement, already knowing what Uma had told the small child. Uma told all the small child on the Isle that asked why Uma's hair was the colour it was, the same tale of how she wished on the second star to the right, that leads to Neverland, and her hair turned a light teal because of it. Harry loved seeing the shocked looks on the children's faces when they asked if Uma could ask the star to make their hair go any colour the child thought of on the spot, and when Uma agreed the child's face light up and they hugged Uma so tightly she could barely breathe until the child decided to let go and continue whatever task they were doing before the princess showed up.

Uma looked back at Harry and smiled before returning her attention to Harmony and nodding. "Of course I will" Uma agreed which made Harmony's smile widen as she jumped up and down for joy. Ariel and Melody shared a confused look with Uma who smiled and shook her head, informing her two family members that she would fill them in on the story later.

"Well, Harmony, we better get going then. We only came by to introduce you to Uma before you go on your trip tomorrow so we better get you packed. And that starts with the things in Melody's room" Ariel informed her daughter who nodded as Uma stood up properly.

"Where are you going?" Uma asked which caused Harmony's smile to widen massively.

"Atlantis. To see grandfather" Harmony answered excitably.

"Well when you see him, please tell your grandfather how happy I was to receive his gift, so will Oceana and Pearl I presume" Uma replied which made Ariel smile at the teen.

"Well, mother, can you take Harmony to my dorm room while I talk to Uma for a moment" Melody suggested making Ariel nod as she and Harmony said one last farewell before walking down the hallway and towards Melody's dorm room. Even though Melody was over with Auradon Prep, she still had a dorm room just in case she came back to teach because her house was too far away for the school to live there and work part-time as a music teacher at Auradon Prep. Melody's room was the very last one at the end of the girl's corridor so it was around three or four rooms away from Mal, Evie and now Uma's dorm room.

"Harry, will you be able to go see is Mal and Audrey are alright? Just tell them that I will be there in a moment and make sure that Dizzy looks like a princess, okay?" Uma added after she watched Ariel and Harmony walk down the corridor, the little princess waving goodbye at the Isle princess as she went, before turning to look at Harry who nodded.

"Okay, love. Just don't take to long or you won't be able to try on your dress remember" Harry reminded his girlfriend who tapped her head with her fingernail, making Harry laugh as he kissed the top of Uma's head before saying goodbye to Melody and telling Uma that he loved her and walking down the long corridor and towards his room, the opposite way that Ariel and Harmony walked away.

"What's wrong?" Uma asked worryingly after she made sure that Harry had turned the corner or the hallway.

"King Ben. He saw me before I went to Atlantis and he invited me to Cotillion. I'm sorry Uma but I have to go to Cotillion, the king invited me" Melody apologised.

"No it's alright" Uma reassured, "So only Ariel can guard around the Isle's barrier"

"No, I asked a friend in Atlantis, he is amazing and totally trustworthy. He and my mother will guard the Isle's barrier while I will make sure everything is alright with you" Melody explained causing Uma to sign.

"What about a dress?" Uma asked

"I can just get one of my friends to make one" Melody replied.

"Who?" Uma questioned.

"Elsa. She made my birthday dress so I can quickly ask her to make me my Cotillion dress. I will go after my mother and sister leave" Melody explained causing Uma to nod.

"Okay, I have to go in case Harry gets worried" Uma replied

"Yea, I will see you later?" Melody asked as she and Uma hugged quickly.

"Yea, come over to mine, Mal and Evie's room when you have your dress and we can get changed together if you want" Uma suggested making Melody nod as they pulled away from the hug.

"Of course and if you want I can ask Elsa if she has heard about Evie. Evie was one of my friends so I really want her to be okay" Melody smiled

"Yes please, thank you, Melody. It would mean a lot" Uma replied

"Of course, that's what family is for," Melody said as she and Uma smiled at each other.

"Yea" Uma agreed, "Well I have to go before Harry thinks I have got lost and he starts trying to find me" Melody laughed with Uma at the joke before the two girls said one last goodbye and Uma walked down the same hallway Harry did, smiling to herself when she thought about the time she could spend with her distant cousin at Cotillion. Uma didn't let her mind wander to what would happen with her mother with Melody so close to the sea witch as Uma tried to stay positive.

 _She will not win_ Uma thought determinedly as she turned the corner and saw Harry's dorm room door in view. Her friends and family would be safe and out of harm's way, no matter the cost.

 **Hey, guys. Sorry for the late chapter but I went to ANE because I collapsed because of the heat and things so I have to be careful with the amount of time I spend on technology but I have tried to write faster so you should get a new chapter soon. Anyway, we are close to the end of this book but don't worry because I have a new story in mind and a squeal to this so it will be okay but there may only be four or five chapters left.**

 **Bye xx**


	21. A few more hours

_"Flower gleam and glow,_

 _let your power shine._  
 _Make the clock reverse,_  
 _bring back what once was mine._

 _Heal what has been hurt,_  
 _change the fates design._  
 _Save what has been lost,_  
 _bring back what once was mine._

 _What once was mine."_

Evie sang softly after she spent the last hour dancing by her herself in the ballroom- she loved the feel of her new, natural hair that seemed to dance with her as she waltzed around the room, swaying side to side while she hummed whatever song came into her mind. However the princess knew that she would have to stop dancing and actually have something to eat, so after an hour of dancing, Evie quietly sang the magical words and watched as her flower birthmark glowed before she felt the weight on her neck lessen and her hair return to its 'natural' blue colour. After making sure that her outfit was still perfect and her hair was back into its usual curls, Evie walked out of the ballroom and towards the dining room where Elsa, Jack Frost, and their daughter were sat eating lunch.

"Hi" Evie greeted as she walked down the few stairs to get to the dining table. Elsa's daughter, Elica, smiled at the blue haired princess who moved to sit next to the Ice Princess. Elica was only five years old but she was very smart and very curious. The young girl had long blonde hair that stopped at the bottom of the girls back and was pulled back by a pink and green headband, only allowing one part of her long hair to move to be in front of her shoulders while the rest of her curly blonde hair was behind her. Elica had large blue eyes that sparkled with mischief like her father but her little button nose and sweet smile made sure that no one suspected her of being mischievous- something she always used to her advantage.

Within the couple of days that Evie stayed with the Frost family, she and Elica had developed a strong and loving relationship unlike any other because Evie was close friends with Elica's older sister, Emma. Elica loved to hear stories of what her sister was doing in Auradon Prep and enjoyed the way Evie always made it seem like Emma saved the school from a deadly explosion, even if she had to bend the truth a bit because, in real life, Emma only turned off the gas tap in Chemistry and stopped the fire from a bunsen burner.

"Hello, Princess" Evie greeted as she leaned closer to Elica and looked at what the princess was eating- strawberries and pancakes that were currently smothered over the young princesses face and plate. Evie chuckled as she remembered all the times Mal had strawberry juice around her mouth which made the purple haired teen giggle like a five-year-old caught by their parents stealing a cookie before lunch. "What is this?"

"Strawberries and pancakes" Elica answered honestly, scoping a quarter strawberry onto a spoon before turning it and lifting it so it was just in front of Evie's smiling face. Even though Elica was mischievous, the ice princess was very caring and made sure all the people she loved were happy and okay, even if that meant giving up something. "Have it" Elica giggled as Evie eyed the little girl before leaning forward, opening her mouth but before she could eat the strawberry, Elica pulled the spoon away and shoved it into her own mouth making Evie giggle at the little girl's stuffed face.

"Why you little rascal" Evie giggled as she started to tickle Elica, moving the princess chair so the giggling girl was facing her as she continued to aimlessly tickle the girl's sides. Elsa smiled at the two girls as she reached for Jack Frost's hand making him look up from the document he was reading and to watch as his daughter jumped from her chair and onto Evie's lap once Evie had stopped attaching the princess. Evie laughed as she wrapped her arms around the little princess waist, smiling when the princesses giggles turned into heavy breaths as she tried to calm down from the tickle-attack she just had from the blue-haired princess.

"You can have a strawberry" Elica breathed out as she leaned back in Evie's arms, looking at the blue-haired teen in the eyes as Evie moved to sit in Elica's seat, the five year olds legs wrapped around the girls waist as Evie began to cut up Elica's pancakes before picking a small slice up with the fork and handing it to Elica who ate the piece quickly while Evie cut another one.

"How was training?" Jack Frost asked from across the table, having put down the document he was reading in favour of talking to his family. He considered Evie as part of the family with how much she loved talking to Elica and her ever-growing friendship with Elsa that was beginning to bloom into a mother-daughter relationship which showed how much the two had in common. Evie smiled over Elica's shoulder as she continued to cut up the pancakes while responding to Jack Frost's question.

"Perfect, thank you for asking your majesty" Evie replied in a kind and sweet voice while she pulled funny faces to Elica who giggled before eating another small piece of pancake. No matter how many times Elsa and Jack reminded the teenager that she was like family so Evie didn't have to be so formal, her mother's teachings still rang clearly in her mind, louder than anything else that seemed to take up the girls brain and made Evie retort back to her old ways of calling everyone 'your majesty' or 'your royal highness'.

"Evie, dear, you don't need to be so formal" Elsa reminded the teenager who nodded, the faint blush of her rosy cheeks growing as she smiled at the two adults at the table. "So, have you heard from any of your Isle friends? What about Doug?" Elsa asked. The two adults had been filled in by Evie on her life at Auradon Prep but the constant news stories and articles circling the internet about Evie's booming fashion industry and princess lifestyle filled in any gaps that Evie may have accidentally left out.

"I haven't talked to my friends today, the last message I sent was last night before I fall asleep but as for today, I haven't sent anything just yet. I will after this maybe" Evie replied as she continued to cut up pieces of pancake and feed them to Elica as the princess listened in on her parents and Evie's conversation. "I have yet to message Doug but I am sure my prince is waiting patiently" Evie smiled as she nuzzled her nose with Elica's which made the princess giggle as she leaned back in the blue-haired princess arms. Elsa smiled at the two's interactions, giggling when Evie continued to cut up Elica's pancake while the princess played with think straps of Evie's tank top.

"What does this mean?" Elica asked when she saw the small wording that was tattoed into Evie's wrist, just under her birthmark, when Evie raised her hand to feed Elica another piece of pancake. Elsa looked at Evie with confusion swirling in her eyes, not knowing that Evie had any form of wording on her wrist. Evie froze as she looked down at her wrist, smiling at the words that were etched onto her skin, before she put down the fork she was holding and signed deeply, linking her fingers together behind Elica's back as she looked at Elica kindly.

"It says 'Nuestro Aspecto No Nos Define. Es Lo Que Somos En Nuestros Corazones, Y Ser El Mas Justo De Todos Es Ser Justo Por Dentro'" Evie spoke in perfect Spanish as she read the elegant wording on her wrist that she got after the coronation. It was a reminder to the blue haired princess of a lesson that her best friends had helped her learn when she defeated Maleficent with those three friends stood by her side. Elsa smiled as she translated the words in her head, thankful that she learned Spanish at a young age so she could understand what Evie had said, and giggled slightly when she saw the confused look on her husbands face as he had not received Spanish lessons as a kid and didn't understand what Evie had just told their daughter.

"It translates to 'Our looks do not define us. It's who we are in our hearts, and to be the fairest of them all is to be fair inside'. My best friends helped me understand that I am so much more than a pretty face, something I tell myself everytime I begin to doubt myself" Evie continued to explain, smiling when she saw Elica start to trace the words on Evie's wrist. Jack Frost smiled at the words as he looked up at Evie, nodding to the girl who's smile grew massively once she saw the nod of approval from Jack Frost.

"It is a beautiful saying" Elica commented as she looked up at Evie "Do you tell Dizzy that? I think that everyone should know it so no one feels bad about the way they look" Elica continued which made Evie smile at the kind thought that Elica had expressed. Elsa and Jack Frost smiled at their daughter's thoughts, already knowing that she was going to grow up to become a loving and just princess to their people.

"That is an amazing idea" Evie praised, "And I try to tell Dizzy that every time she feels down but thankfully she is becoming more confident. Little Dizzy is so full of life like you but she isn't half as mischievous" Evie joked as she nuzzled her nose with Elica's who giggled and blushed.

"How is Dizzy?" Elsa asked, gaining Evie's attention as the blue-haired teen continued to cut up some of the last pieces of strawberry and pancakes. Evie smiled at the name of her soon-to-be-daughter and wondered what the little girl was doing now- maybe trying on her dress or talking to Mal and Uma about what would happen at Cotillion or be playing tag in the rose gardens with Harry like he promised.

"I haven't heard anything bad so she must be okay. I was going to text her as well as everyone else after this" Evie revealed as she cut the last piece of strawberry and pancake up and gave it to Elice who smiled and ate it before leaning forward and cuddling up to Evie who wrapped an arm around the princess while running her fingers through the girls long blonde hair. Elsa smiled at the information and nodded, before returning to her own plate of food while Evie and Jack Frost continued to talk about school life.

"You majesties" A new voice called out from the end of the dining room which made everyone turn their head to see an old suit-wearing man stood in the doorway with Princess Melody stood beside him, her mouth open in shock once her eyes landed on Evie who hadn't looked up from Elica. "Princess Melody is here" The man called out before he bowed again and left the room, closing the door behind him once Melody had walked in. Evie's head shot up at the familiar name and she smiled sheepishly at the princess.

"Oh, sugar" Evie muttered as she looked at Melody and smiled nervously.

* * *

"You look beautiful" Mal commented as she looked at Dizzy who was staring into the mirror while wearing her Cotillion dress that Harry had gotten her from Evie studio before he went to talk to Ben, Jay and Carlos about Cotillion as they were just about to go have lunch in the city centre. Dizzy twirled around in her dress, exposing the half-back that was edged with the same green and pink swirled lace design as the front of the ballerina dress. The dress fitted Dizzy perfectly and stopped just below her knee which made Dizzy look like a beautiful princess as she twirled around the room, giggling and smiling as she did so.

"Here. Your tiara" Mal added when Dizzy stopped twirling around the room, standing in front of Mal as the future Lady Of The Court picked up the diamond tiara that was resting on Mal's lap. The soon to be queen reached up and placed the tiara on Dizzy's head, smiling proudly at the little girl who moved to look in the mirror, gasping at the sight of the diamond and gold crown that completed Dizzy's princess look.

"I love it. But it's no match to yours" Dizzy complimented, looking at the sparkling tiara on top of Mal's head. The golden metal of Mal's tiara twisted together to resemble branches of an old oak tree, with the purple and black diamonds looking like blooming flowers on the branches. The beautiful craftsmanship was made by one of Auradon's best jewellers, Doug by special request of Evie and was finished just in time for the grand event that was to start in a couple of hours. Mal smiled at the young girl, wondering how Dizzy had grown-up so much in just a couple of days and how she managed to look so grown-up in a dress fit for a princess.

"How would Evie react if she saw me like this? Would she love it?" Dizzy wondered as Mal smiled and reached for Dizzy's hands, moving the girl to sit beside her. Mal smiled as she moved a strand of Dizzy's hair behind her ear, caressing the girls check. In just a short amount of time, Dizzy had grown up massively and became a caring and loving girl who was the picture of what a princess should be and how they should act. In Mal's opinion, Dizzy acted more of a princess then she did and it was nice for Mal to see Dizzy be so mature and well mannered, considering the horrible place they grew up in.

"I believe that when E see's you on the screen, looking like a princess she will be so proud. You look and act so grown up- you look like a princess" Mal complimented, her smile widening when Dizzy beamed proudly.

"How do you think people will react? I mean, I'm not exactly royalty" Dizzy sighed as she looked down at her and Mal's conjoined hands.

"You are my niece, right?" Dizzy nodded slowly, "So you are the niece of the soon to be Lady Of The Court and the girl who is engaged to be engaged to be engaged to the King Of All Of Auradon. You are also the niece of both of the Queen's Of The Isle, me and Oceana, and both of the Princess Of The Isle, Uma and Pearl. You are royalty, no matter what everyone says so if any of those princesses or princes's have a problem than you hold your head up high and tell them that you are Princess Dizzy, niece of The Lady Of The Court and Queen Of The Isle and if they have a problem with that then they can talk to me" Mal continued, bopping Dizzy's nose once she finished making Dizzy giggle and smile.

"Princess Dizzy" A voice called out making Dizzy look back to see Audrey leant against the bathroom door, having obviously heard Mal and Dizzy's conversation. Dizzy smiled and jumped off the bed, rushing towards Audrey and giving the girl a bear hug, making Mal and Audrey share a laugh as Dizzy wrapped her arms around Audrey's waist. In the short time, Audrey and Dizzy had spent together, the two had become good friends with Audrey telling Dizzy stories about when the VK's first arrived- obviously leaving out the part where she was less than kind to them. The two talked constantly and Audrey even offered to let Dizzy stay in her dorm room instead of being cramped in Mal, Evie and Uma's because Audrey was just opposite the girl's dorm room, allowing Dizzy to visit any time she wanted too.

"Mal, none of my dresses work for Cotillion" Audrey complained as she looked at Mal with puppy dog eyes, "Can you magic me a dress? Please?" Audrey asked innocently, her innocent eyes only increasing when Mal shook her head, no.

"I can't do magic, A. I would really like too but you know what happened last time- I went magic crazy and ended up running back to the Isle" Mal huffed. Audrey whispered something to Dizzy who nodded and slowly unwrapped her arms from around the teenage princess before walking over to Mal and using the puppy dog eyes. "This isn't fair" Mal complained as she looked at a smirking Audrey.

"I think Dizzy is on my side. So how about that dress?" Audrey asked causing Mal to sign and roll her eyes. "Thank you" Audrey thanked as she stepped forward, allowing Mal to circle the princess as she thought about what dress Audrey could wear.

"What about a blue, low cut dress?" Mal suggested, a wicked glint in her eyes when she saw Audrey's mouth open in shock. All her life, Audrey had been told to wear modest clothes that wouldn't grab too much attention, so it was a shook to the princess that her heart was telling her to say yes and have a blue, low-cut dress. "It would get Gil's attention, I'm sure" Mal smirked, a small laugh escaping her lips when she saw Audrey nod and breath in deeply, getting ready to try on her Cotillion dress.

 _"Beware forswear, make a dress appear out of fin air"_ Mal chanted, smiling when green spoke surrounded Audrey. Mal's eyes turned dark green as she imagined Audrey's Cotillion dress and moments later, she heard the surprised gasps of Audrey and Dizzy as the green spoke disappeared, leaving Audrey stood in her blue Cotillion dress.

The dress itself was a light blue which glistened in the evening light that shone through the bedrooms windows thanks to a layer of magic Mal left on the dress and had thin spaghetti straps. The middle of the chest area was exposed, with only a thick layer of blue fabric covering the princesses chest and a thin layer of lace covering the exposed skin which kept the dress modest like Audrey was taught to be but the tightness of the dress and the long slit that travelled up Audrey's left leg made sure that the dress was still modern and attention-grabbing. The straps of the dress crossed over each other at the back and connected to the fabric on Audrey's hips, leaving Audrey's back open until the bottom of her back where a piece of blue fabric was wrapped around Audrey's waist. Audrey's hair was pulled back into a back bun that let two pieces of her curly hair frame her face and drape down her chest thanks to the length.

Audrey's face had a thin layer of foundation on and her lips were covered in a light pink lipstick that matched her light pink eyeshadow that sparkled like her dress. Her heels were four-inches high and were a deep blue like Audrey's dress, with laces that went up Audrey's legs slightly, stopping halfway up to her knees. In Audrey's hand was a blue clutch that was covered in lace and had a large cream diamond in the centre. And to top off the whole outfit, there was a gold tiara on top Audrey's head, the pink and blue diamonds sparkling in the sunlight that was coming through the windows. The tiara was exactly like Dizzy's, with the diamonds resembling flowers hidden in the twisted gold metal of the base of the crown.

A short knock broke the three girls out of their trances as they all looked towards the door. "Girls, you decent" A voice called out making all the girls call back a 'yea' before the door opened to reveal Uma holding a dress bag and Gil stood beside her, already in his brown suit that looked exactly like Ben's just in a different colour. "Audrey that dress" Uma gasped, looking Audrey up and down as she walked into the room and lay her dress next to Dizzy before moving to stand next to a smirking Mal, leaving Gil stood in the doorway as he silently admired Audrey's dress.

"Mal you have outdone yourself this time" Uma complemented as she stuck out her hand. Mal high-fived Uma and smiled, looking back at Gil who still hadn't moved. Audrey was to busy looking at her dress in the mirror to notice Gil's loving eyes on her as she moved side to side, admiring the back of the dress.

"You know, I actually love it" Audrey smiled as she looked at Mal through the mirror. Mal shrugged and inspected her nails as a smirk made it's way up to Mal's lips. Uma looked over at Gil and waved him over silently, being careful to make sure that Audrey didn't see Gil walk into the room and close the door behind him.

"You know? I wonder if this will get that boys attention" Uma hinted, raising her eyebrow at Gil who was about to say something but quickly stopped to hear Audrey's response.

"Nah, he's probably already taken. I mean he had the cutest smile and looked like a prince pirate- I doubt he's into me" Audrey signed as she continued to look in the mirror, not seeing the mischievous smile that was on Uma, Mal and even Dizzy's lips. "What was his name anyway? I bet you know him" Audrey asked Uma.

"Gil. His name was Gil" Uma replied, not missing the way Audrey practically swooned at the name, "What did you say he was? 'Had brown hair but was very cute'" Uma teased, smiling when Audrey rolled her eyes and if she wasn't wearing her makeup, Uma would have seen the blazing fire on Audrey's cheeks as she recalled the exact words she used to describe her mystory crush.

"Well in my defence he was cute. Is he single? I mean, I would love to go to Cotillion with him but he probably has a girlfriend" Audrey asked causing Gil to smile to himself as he nodded at Uma, telling her that he would answer this one making the daughter of Ursula smile wickedly as she waited for the squeal to come from Audrey when she realised that she was talking about how 'cute' her crush was when he was in the room.

"Yes, he is. But I think that is about to change" Gil answered causing Audrey to stop fixing her hair and freeze, slowly turning around to see Gil stood next to Dizzy who was trying really hard not to squeal with happiness.

"Hi" Audrey huffed as she looked back at a grinning Uma and Mal and glared at them.

"So I'm cute?" Gil asked causing Audrey to blush as she stood up properly. She was really starting to hate the fact that her dress showed off a lot of skin as she stood in front of her crush and tried to find the words to explain herself. In the end, Audrey just smiled and shrugged her shoulders making Gil smile and laugh quietly at the embarrassed look on Audrey's blushing face.

"So about that Cotillion date?" Gil asked as he stepped closer to Audrey who looked down towards her feet. Gil placed his finger under Audrey's chin and smiled at her, admiring the way her eyes sparkled and she bit her lip whenever she was nervous or the way she looked at him like he was the only person in the room- in the world- and he was sure he was doing the same to her.

"She means yes" Dizzy exclaimed after a moment of Audrey just staring into Gil's chocolate brown eyes. Mal and Uma giggled at the young girl's excitement as she walked up to Audrey and grabbed the girls hands, placing them in Gil's while Audrey looked at Dizzy with amusement shining in her eyes- which made the princess even more beautiful in Gil's opinion. "Okay, do you Gil take Audrey to be your lawfully wedded Cotillion data?" This made everyone in the room laugh as Dizzy asked Gil the question. Mal and Uma quickly rushed to Audrey and Gil's side, well as quickly as Mal could in her large purple dress, holding their hands in front of them as they acted like bridesmaids making Audrey blush and smile up at Gil who was trying to hold in his own laughter.

"I do" Gil answered making Audrey blush as Dizzy squealed in excitement and Uma and Mal shared a mischevious look.

"Do you Audrey take Gil to be your lawfully wedded Cotillion date?" Dizzy asked making Uma and Mal raise an eyebrow at the princess.

"I do" Audrey laughed causing Mal and Uma to laugh and clap, smiling when Dizzy said the final words,

"And by the power vested in me by.." Dizzy looked around and saw Mal point to herself making Dizzy smile as she continued, "By the Queen and Princess Of The Isle, I now pronounce you dates to Cotillion, you may kiss the data" Dizzy announced making Audrey smile as Gil leaned in and kissed Audrey's cheek, making the princess blush even more as Uma and Mal used their magic to make small pink and brown fireworks appear in the room.

"Now, you have to get out," Dizzy told Gil who pouted at the young girl, "Uma still needs to get changed" Dizzy added causing Gil to sign and reluctantly nod.

"I will pick you up with Ben and Harry, yea?" Gil suggested making Audrey smile and nod in agreement. "Okay, well I will see you later"

And with that, Gil kissed Audrey's cheek again and left the room, smiling to Uma who waved at him while Audrey and Dizzy went over to the bed to try and sort out Audrey's blushing cheeks and Mal moved towards the floor length mirror so she could put her hair into beachy waves using her magic. Uma walked over to her dress and picked it up, telling her friends that she was going to get changed.

"Okay, and then can you help me with my hair. It just won't work" Mal complained making Uma giggle and nod as she walked into the bathroom. The white-tiled room was large and had an enormous bathtub in the centre of the floor that could fit two people and there was a large mirror that took up a whole wall behind the bathtub. There was a large shower in the corner of the room and a counter was indented in the wall that had two sinks on either side. Uma gasped at the beautiful chandelier that hung from the top of the ceiling and just above the bath, glistening in the light that reflected of the white surfaces of the room.

Uma was knocked out of her trance when she felt her phone vibrate from inside her pocket, informing her that she was getting a call. Uma smiled when she saw that it was Melody calling her and placed the phone on the counter when she answered it while she started to unzip the bag her Cotillion dress was in. "Hay, cous" Uma greeted.

"Hey, I have my dress and it is beautiful" Melody giggled causing Uma to shake her head at her cousin's eagerness to try on her dress.

"Well, me, Audrey, Mal and Dizzy have literally taken over Gil and Harry's room" Uma responded, smiling when Melody started laughing over the phone. "So how's Queen Elsa?" Uma asked once Melody had stopped laughing.

"Good I think" Melody answered back.

"And did you ask about Evie?" Uma asked causing Melody to sign loudly, which in turn made Uma concerned for her blue-haired friend and cousin who was trying to find the best words to describe Evie situation to her younger cousin as she waited patiently on the other side of the line.

"I saw her actually, at Elsa's" Melody revealed, choosing her words very carefully, "She's okay and her magic has gotten better by the sound of it. She did tell me to inform you that she will text everyone the moment I left but she said she was okay, nothing to worry about by the sounds of it. She also told me to thank you for looking after everyone but she won't be coming to Cotillion"

"She is at Elsa's?" Uma states but it sounded more like a question as she leaned against the sink, her arms crossed as she tried to think about what to say and how to phase her next sentence without scaring Melody. "Are you at Elsa's now?" Uma asked. A million thoughts were running through the girls head; 'is Evie really not going to come to Cotillion?' was the question that kept on repeating itself. Uma thought that Evie was joking when she wrote, in her letters, that she wasn't going to Cotillion but the daughter of Ursula was sure that Evie wouldn't pass up an opportunity to see Dizzy look like a princess or Mal becoming Lady Of The Court. Uma knew why Evie wouldn't want to go to Cotillion- to see her best friends and laugh, dance and smile with them and then have to leave the next day would crush Evie- but Uma knew how Mal really wanted Evie by her side.

Sure, Mal never vocalised her sadness and Uma knew that Mal wanted her by her side as well but Uma also knew how much of a strong and loving friendship Mal and Evie shared so it was understandable to Uma that Mal wanted both of the girl's she considered her sisters by her side, holding her hands as she walked down the Cotillion stairs and towards Ben.

"No sorry" Melody's voice broke Uma out of her trance as her cousin apologised to the sea witch's daughter, "I just left like ten minutes ago. I'm halfway back to the school now, did you want to talk to her? I can head back"

"No, it's okay, I can just ring her. Thanks for telling me Melody" Uma thanked, as she signed. _At least now she could talk to Evie and try and convince her to stay for Cotillion_ Uma thought as she looked at her bag that held the very thing Evie spent the good part of around five hours making a couple of nights ago. Uma knew that having Evie close to Cotillion would be a good thing and possibly a dangerous one, especially if Ursula succeed but Uma also knew that having her friends and family close to her would mean that the daughter of Ursula could look after them and protect them.

Uma knew her mother. If Evie wasn't at Cotillion then Ursula would think that Uma sent her away for protection, especially because Ursula doesn't know about Evie's powers, and the evil sea-witch would go after Uma's most vulnerable friend- the daughter of the Evil Queen. It made sense for Evie to be near Uma so Ursula didn't suspect anything, so all Uma had to do was make sure that all her friends were safe and at Cotillion.

"Okay, well. I am like five minutes away from school. I will text you when I get back. I really want to see your dress. I bet you look stunning." Melody complimented. Uma nodded and smiled at her cousins kind words. Even though the two girls had only known each other in a short amount of time, the two were already really close and acted like they knew each other for longer than the couple of days they really did. Melody was already so caring and protective towards Uma and the younger cousin was very happy that she could have this strong of a friendship with her older cousin.

"Thanks. I can't wait to see yours. I will see you later. Just come up to Harry and Gil's room, it's like the last boy's room. If you can't find it, listen for the squeals of girls and that's it" Uma joked causing Melody to laugh as she agreed and said one last goodbye before the two ended the call. Uma smiled as she looked at her phone and started to scroll down her short list of contacts until she saw the name 'Blueberry Princess'- Evie's nickname from Uma that always made the princesses share a small giggle whenever Uma called Evie it. Uma's finger hovered over the call button until she breathed in deeply and pressed the button, putting the phone on loudspeaker as she heard two short beeps until the kind and caring voice of Uma's 'sister' broke through the air.

"Hello" Evie answered, her voice sounding like she had all the energy in the world as she answered the phone. Uma smiled when she heard the faint giggles of who she presumed was Elica in the background, having been filled in briefly by Mal earlier that morning when Mal informed her on who she was going to meet at Cotillion. Emma was one of the highest ranking people in the Court and a great friend to Ben so it made sense that Mal knew a lot about the future queen of Arendelle and in turn that led to the future Lady Of The Court going on about Elica and the Frost family which she meet some time ago.

"Hi, blueberry" Uma greeted, her smile growing when she heard Evie giggle on the other end of the line. "I just spoke with Melody. She says your at Elsa's, are you alright?" Uma asked causing Evie to sign loudly as she smiled at Uma's worry.

"I'm fine. Melody came by and asked for a dress by Elsa. Are you ready for Cotillion?" Evie asked, making Uma giggle as she looked down at her current outfit that looked nothing like a dress fit for royalty.

"I am just getting my dress on in a sec. Audrey, Mal and Dizzy are ready though. They look beautiful, thank you for the dress. I just wish you would be coming too" Uma signs as Evie smiles on the other end of the line, grateful to hear that everyone loved their dresses.

"I know but I can't go to Cotillion and then leave again" Evie signed.

"I know but please. Mal want you by her side, even if she won't admit it because she wants to be strong for Dizzy. Jay and Carlos would love to dance with their sister and Harry and Gil, who just asked Audrey to be his date with a little help from Dizzy, would love too as well" Uma practically begged. Uma really didn't want her best friend to be a target for her mother and all though being at the front lines wasn't necessarily great either, it was still safer than being in another part of the kingdom where they may be prepared for an attack but Uma knew her mother would do something so unthinkable, no one would be ready for it.

"Uma, what's wrong? I know you, and you never beg for anyone to do something. Especially go to a party" Evie replied knowingly making Uma sign in annoyance that Evie knew her so well.

"It's nothing, honestly. Just please come to Cotillion" Uma pleaded.

"Tell me whats wrong" Evie demanded in an 'over-protective-big-sister' tone which made Uma sign again. "Uma if you don't tell me what's happened then I will just ask Mal and Harry" Evie added.

"I can't. For safety" Uma whispered. "Just it would really help me if you came. It would help all of us, really. Mal would be really happy and so would Dizzy and the boys would be over the moon to be able to dance with their sister. All I'm asking is for you to come tonight and then you can go back to Elsa's until you feel like you want to come back here. No one's going to stop you from leaving but it would really help everyone" Uma added.

She knew that it was unfair to bring everybody else into this but Uma needed to make sure that the blue-haired princess was safe when Ursula came to Auradon and like always, Evie's safe place would be with her family, not in an ice castle- no matter how many guards they had. Uma would do anything to make sure that Evie and the rest of her friends and family were safe and happy and if that meant that she had to pull out all the stops just to make sure that Evie would be a Cotillion and be safe, then she would do it.

Uma had already lost her friends once before and she promised herself in that heartbreaking moment when she practically watched Mal and her friends walk out of her life, that she do anything to get her friends in a safe area- no matter if it meant that they hated her or didn't want to be friends anymore.

"It would help them?" Evie asked sceptically, thinking about the pros and cons of going to Cotillion. "If I go" Evie started hesitantly making Uma smile as she heard Evie sign over the phone, "then you have to promise me that no one will stop me from leaving. I need to be here but I think I would be able to have one night out, I guess. Like a break from all the training"

"Perfect. And we won't stop you from leaving I promise. You have my word as a pirate and as a princess that you can still leave to continue your training" Uma promised making Evie laugh as she agreed to Uma's terms, "How is training going?"

"Perfect" Evie smiled as she moved to sit at a desk in her room at Elsa's castle, thinking of the perfect Cotillion dress as she placed her phone on loudspeaker and took out her design-notebook that she took from her room, flipping through the pages upon pages of elegant ball-gowns and edgy skater-dresses for inspiration. "My powers are getting stronger, I feel like I can do anything! I mean, in just a couple of days I have figured out that I can make ball's of fire appear from my bare hands, how cool is that?" Evie practically squealed in excitement as she told Uma all about her training sessions, with Uma listening intently to every detail as she imagined how her sister had changed.

"That's amazing, you have gotten so good at magic. It took me years to figure out how to make fireballs appear and even then they aren't that good. You must be so proud, E" Uma encouraged, her smile growing when she heard Evie giggle nervously at the comment.

"Yea, Elsa said that I still need to be careful because we don't know the full extent of my powers but she says that I am doing amazing" Evie replied bashfully making Uma chuckle as the two continued to talk about Evie's magic until a loud voice broke through their conversation from outside the bathroom.

"Uma, you finished yet?" Mal shouted from in the boy's room, stood impatiently next to the bathroom door, leaning against the wooden frame as she waited for Uma to be ready to do her hair as promised. "My hair looks like a birds nest, help me, please. You have two sisters, you have to be able to fix this"

"Coming" Uma shouted back before turning back to her phone where Evie's poorly concealed giggle could be heard escaping the mobile. "I have to go, but I will see you at Cotillion. I can't wait to see you"

"Me too but Uma, don't tell anyone that I'm coming. I want to surprise them" Evie replied, smiling when she heard Uma agree and say goodbye and 'love ya' before the two said a final goodbye and ended the phone call so Evie could start doing the finishing alterations to her Cotillion with her new inspiration while Uma quickly put on her Cotillion dress.

"There you are. I was about to...go...in..." Mal exclaimed when Uma stepped out of the bathroom, her teal trail travelling behind her like an ocean wave. The simple, strapless neckline was covered with a fine layer on teal lace that was embroidered with a range of different sizes of pearls and beads that resembled the ocean floor. The dress had no sleeves and the bottom of the dress was covered in layers upon layers of different shades of teal tool that made the dress fan out into a small hop-skirt. There were large golden pearls on the whole dress and all-together the dress looked like it was part of the ocean, just like Uma was. Uma's crown matched her gold, sea-shell necklace- with a gold band that had teal, almost see-through diamonds embedded within the base of the band. A large gold diamond was in the centre of the tiara and was set in place with branch-like bands that were solid gold and came to a point at the tip of the diamond.

Uma moved a piece of her hair behind her ear as she looked down, trying to hide the blush creeping up to her cheeks when she heard Mal stumble to find the right words and Dizzy and Audrey gasp at the beautiful dress Uma was wearing. "I look alright?" Uma asked sheepishly, looking up at Dizzy who was looking up at Dizzy with shook.

"You look... were you two as shocked as I am right now when I came out?" Mal asked as she looked at Dizzy and Uma who both giggled at the teenager who began to circle Uma as she took in all of her dress, smiling widely at the dress her sister was wearing. "You look... Audrey, what do you say in Auradon when somebody looks amazing?" Mal asked, stumped as she tried to find the right words to describe Uma's dress.

"Enchanting" Audrey replied making Mal smile and nod, "Uma, you look like a princess"

"Thank you both, it means a lot. What about you Diz? How do you think I look?" Uma asked, looking at the youngest of the four girls who had yet to speak as she smiled at the detailing on Uma's dress. Uma turned left and right to show Dizzy some of the back of the dress, smiling when she noticed Dizzy's eye's widening at the half-back on Uma's dress that exposed the small tattoo on Uma's left shoulder. It was clearly evident due to the vibrant colour and the fact that it is the size of a tennis ball but Dizzy could see the initials of Uma and her two sisters, Pearl and Oceana, intertwined together in beautiful blue ink within a black circle. Dizzy smiled as she remembered that the two eldest daughters of Ursula had the tattoo in the exact same place- Pearl didn't have the tattoo as she was told by her two older sisters that it would appear on her fifteenth birthday, just like their's hand.

However, do not get fooled into believing that this tattoo was ordinary- like it had been drawn onto Uma and Oceana's skin with an ink gun. Because unlike many things on the Isle, this tattoo was magical. It appeared on Oceana and Uma's fifteenth birthday and bonded the two sisters together. If Uma tried hard enough and channelled some of the limited power she had on the Isle, she could feel what her older sister was feeling, whether it be pain, happiness, or sorrow, she could feel it like it was happening to her itself. The tattoo would glow a faint gold whenever the two siblings contacted each other- when they felt each other's feelings- and with Pearl's fifteenth birthday coming up in a couple of months, the three would be able to feel each other's feelings no matter how far they are apart.

"Do you miss her?" Dizzy asked, noticing how Uma ran her hand over the tattoo slowly with a sad smile forming on her lips as her lips pursed together. Uma smiled at Dizzy's concerned voice as she moved to sit beside Dizzy as Audrey moved to stand next to Mal who breathed in deeply, knowing that Uma missed her sisters greatly and that it was a hard topic to talk about. Uma held onto Dizzy's hand as she looked at Dizzy with glistening eyes and breathed in deeply like Mal.

"Yea, I miss her. I miss both of them" Uma answered, as she bopped Dizzy's nose, smiling at the giggle that came from the little girl's lips as she blushed.

"Can you do the thing? I love watching it" Dizzy asked making Uma smile as she nodded at Mal and Audrey, informing the two girls that they could come closer. Audrey and Mal moved to sit on the other side of the bed, watching as Uma closed her eyes and turned around, breathing in deeply as she thought about her sisters. The initials on Uma's shoulder changed into a faint gold and the circle of black ink transformed into a turquoise as it acted like the water at the Enchanted Lake when it was spelled- gold swirls spiralling out from the letters as it showed two girls and one boy, all of them talking in the kitchen as Oceana cooked some only-slightly-out-of-date pancakes for the three of them to eat while watching the Cotillion in a couple of hours. Pearl was sat on the island in the middle of the empty kitchen while Harris sat on an old stool next to the princess, being careful that the little girl didn't fall.

"I want chocolate pancakes, Oceana" Pearl whined as she swung her legs back and forth like a little kid. Uma smiled as she read Oceana's feelings- happiness, love but also a hint of irritation that Uma guessed was because Pearl had whined about the type of pancakes she wanted for a solid half an hour if what Oceana was thinking was true.

"I know Princess and like I said, you are having chocolate pancakes but if you keep whining then you will have no strawberries" Oceana responded as she used the spatula to point at a frowning Pearl, her frown only increasing when she realised that Oceana was being serious about the whole no strawberry thing.

"Babe, your shoulder" Harris exclaimed as he noticed the faint glow of gold shining through his girlfriend's thin hoodie. The white hoodie stopped at the girl's knee's and acted like PJ's for the queen who's hair was pulled up into a top, messy bun while she baked. Pearl was sat in her PJ's too, with a pair of blue shorts and a ripped tank-top that had Uma's crew symbol tattoed onto the front, fake pocket and Harris was sat in a pair of long dark blue PJ bottoms with orange flames at the bottom while his chest was covered with a thin tank top. Both of the girl's braided hair was pulled into a top-bun while Harris' was messy and untamed like usual as it swept over one eye that was looking at Oceana concerningly once he noticed the faint golden glow.

"It's Uma!" Pearl exclaimed as her smile widened. Oceana stopped baking and turned the oven off once she placed the first pancake on the awaiting plate next to her, before closing her eyes and sighing loudly when she felt Uma's emotions course through her body like a car in a race. "What's she feeling? Is she alright? Who do we need to beat up?"

Uma and the rest of the girls in the dorm room laughed at Pearl's protectiveness for her older sister. Even though Pearl was the youngest, she still knew that she had a responsibility to protect her family and tried to whenever she could- weather it was from boy's or evil villains, Pearl still tried to show both of her sisters that she was able to fight. Of course, Oceana and Uma already knew this but they didn't want their younger sister to be exposed to the harsh reality of the Isle just yet. They wanted her to have a good childhood, away from bad parents and sword-fights and closer to loving sisters and tea-parties in her bedroom. As a result of this, Pearl didn't know about the history that surrounded the scars that littered Oceana's and Uma's body- she just never asked and the two older sisters were thankful for that. So to Pearl, Uma's only job was to be a princess and a leader of a couple of good pirates, not to have to be a warrior who had to fight for her life more times than one.

"She's fine" Oceana answered as Uma and Oceana silently communicated, "She's with her friends- happy and in her Cotillion dress. She's with Mal and Dizzy and a new Auradonian girl called Audrey who seems pretty cool" Audrey blushed at the compliment, knowing that Uma had told her sister about her brought a smile to Audrey's face. Meanwhile, Oceana turned around and looked at Harris who seemed scared and concerned about the fact that Evie wasn't mentioned. Oceana nodded, a silent promise that she was alright, which made Harris relax slightly but his shoulder's refused to un-tense until he heard from Uma that Evie was okay.

"What about Evie? Where's Auntie Evie? Ask about Auntie Mal and Diz. Are they both okay?" Pearl asked quickly, panic evident in her voice as she spoke.

"Evie had to go somewhere but it safe and so if Mal and Diz, they both say hi" Oceana answered as she nodded to Harris who quickly scooped Pearl up in his arms and carried the girl out of the kitchen, tickling her belly as the two made their way up to the living room to give Oceana some privacy with her sister. Pearl's giggles echoed down the corridors until it was as faint as a butterfly flapping its wings, making Oceana smile as she had a silent conversation with her sister.

 _"Are you truly alright?"_ Oceana asked, causing Uma to smile at her sister's concern. Mal and Audrey shared a look with each other and slowly sat up, extending a hand to Dizzy as the three girls decided to give Uma a little time to talk to her sister while they were in the bathroom doing the finishing touches on their Cotillion looks. The tattoo on Uma's shoulder faded back to its original colour and Uma smiled as she ran her hand over her inked skin.

 _"I'm fine,"_ Uma thought, " _Evie is just at Elsa's so tell Harris not to worry, I know how protective he is over Evie. He is with everyone but him and Evie share like a special connection so just tell him that she's fine. Anyway, how are you and Pearly doing? What about the Isle? You're not struggling with all the work, are you? If you are you can just send me some and I'll do it because-_

 _"Uma"_ Oceana interrupted with a smile " _I am fine with the work. Pearl has actually been helping me with the work- just reading the documents and complaints from the people but I think, with a couple of years of training, she may be able to do some of the work like you did. Of course, she wouldn't be able to leave the castle as frequently as you did but she can at least sign documents and make some laws about certain things. The Isle is doing great- they miss their princess but when I told them that you are at Auradon they understood that you were there for a better life"_

 _"You make it sound like I lived with mother still"_ Uma thoughts grimly, shivering at the harsh memories that came flooding back. _"I promise that after Cotillion, myself and Ben will work to get more VK's over here. Maybe even you and Pearl. I heard that her magic is getting a little bit unfriendly and maybe being in Auradon will help"_

 _"I can't leave here, not until the very last VK leaves and even then I would still have to make sure that everything is alright. But thank you, Uma"_ Oceana thanked making Uma smile. _"Well, I have to finish these pancakes"_

 _"Um, I miss your pancakes with the chocolate and the fresh strawberry's that you always dipped in sugar"_ Uma gushed as she remembered all the days her and her sister would go into the gardens to pick strawberry's for the next day whenever it was somebody's birthday at the castle. Because of where the castle was located, the strawberries grew freshly and turned a beautiful, vibrant red when ripe. The garden, however, was secret so not even Mal and her gang found out about it and because the purple haired teen didn't want to celebrate her birthday because of her mother saying how there was nothing to celebrate until Mal stopped being a 'huge disappointment to the Maleficent name', the purple haired teen didn't taste a strawberry until coming to Auradon.

 _"Yea, 'cause we are so healthy"_ Oceana laughed as Uma joined along, _"But, contact me when Cotillion's over, no matter the time I will be awake. And if anything goes wrong, get all of your friends and come here if you need it- we will always be your home"_

 _"Nothing will go wrong"_ Uma promises _"And of course the Isle will always be my home- no matter what- so I will go to you guys if something goes wrong. But it's Auradon nothing will. I love you but I have to go, tell Pearl that I love and miss her and tell Harris that he better look after my sister's ten times more then he used to do for me"_

 _"I love you too" Oceana replied which made Uma smile and sign happily. "Now, chin up, shoulders back and smile because it's all about smiles and tears; because love means-"_

 _"Facing your biggest fears," Uma and Oceana said in union, "I know and I will. You taught me to be strong and I am. It's just..." Uma hesitated_

 _"Just what?"_ Oceana asked, concern ringing in her voice.

 _"What if I can't be 'good'? Or if something happens and everyone blames me? I haven't been here a while and even Mal took longer then a couple of day's to turn 'good' so what if they think I'm evil... like I'm just Ursula's daughter"_ Uma wondered sadly, a small huff laced with sadness escaping her slightly parted lips as she leaned back on the comfy bed. Being careful of her hair, Uma removed her tiara and held it up, reflecting the bright sunshine of the midday from on the teal diamonds surface.

 _"But you're not just Ursula's daughter. You are my sister, Princess Of The Isle"_ Oceana argued back in a kind voice which made Uma smile. _"Never forget what you have done for the Isle. You helped our people with food when the shipments from Auradon were less then what they usually were and you helped the children have faith that they were going to go to Auradon- they only had to believe and be good. If all that doesn't make you good, then I don't know what does"_

 _"Thank you Oceana"_ Uma whispered with a smile, which made Oceana smile back as she felt her sisters happiness through their connection, _"Hey, save me a pancake"_ Uma joked causing Oceana to smile and laugh.

 _"I will now come on. Smile and have fun, I will see you later"_ Oceana ordered making Uma's smile widen and nod her head in agreement.

 _"Okay, I will talk to you later"_ Uma replied before she felt the connection end and her sister's happiness slowly fade away from her body. But Oceana's warm smile was engraved in her younger sisters mind as Uma raised her head and looked out of the bay window, smiling when she saw the mid-day sun shining brightly against the blue curtain in the sky and the white cotton-candy clouds.

 _Just a couple more hours_ Uma thought happily, _and then the fight begins._


	22. Cotillion

It was a half an hour until Cotillion and all the girls were sat patiently in Harry and Gil's room, doted around the dorm room while they talked aimlessly about what was going to happened. Melody was sat regally on Gil's bed in front of Uma who was putting the last hair clips in to complete Melody's hair-style which consisted of her long black hair being curled by Audrey and pinned back behind her ears. Melody's dress was inspired by her mermaid heritage, with it being a turquoise, two-piece, mermaid dress that showed off a little of the girls slightly toned stomach and had lace covering the top half of the dress. The top had a simple high-neckline and thin, spaghetti straps that crossed each other at the back before connecting to the bottom of the top, exposing the girls back. The bottom of the dress clung to Meldoy's legs giving the girl some shape until it flowed out halfway down the bottom of Melody's legs and reached the floor even though the adult was wearing six-inch heels that were a simple blue with shells glued onto the heel.

Mal was sat opposite the two family members as she tried to get her shoes back on after taking them off when Melody came, a challenge that was proving very difficult due to a large amount of toll on Mal's purple dress. Dizzy was sat next to Mal, watching as the purple haired girl pulled funny faces when the toll was in her way and giggled whenever Audrey's fingers accidentally ticked the girl's neck as the princess pulled the younger girls hair into a back bun, leaving two strands to frame the girls face.

"Wait, so we can finally agree that the order will be, Audrey and Gil first, followed by Carlos and Jane then Lonnie and Jay. Then after those six are announced, it will be Harry and Uma as a couple then Melody and Diz then Ben and finally me" Mal summed up making everyone nod as they tried to remember the order. "But I can't see Ben before all this because of a stupid rule?"

"It's not a stupid rule, Mal" Melody argued in a kind voice, "It was made so the king or queen wouldn't see their significant other before they talk to the former queen or king, depending on the gender. Meaning you and Queen Belle will talk for like five minutes before you walk down the stairs and then she will go see King Adam and then Audrey and Gil can walk down the stairs" Melody explained.

"Why do they need to talk? It's not like they haven't met each other before so what's different this time?" Uma asked as she moved some of Melody's hair to be clipped up, emphasizing the beach wave curls of Melody's black hair.

"Well I can only talk from experience and I'm sure Audrey's was different but I had to talk to my grandfather. He basically told me that I was going to be a just and loving queen of my fathers kingdom and that I will always be part sea so I should embrace that part of me as well as the land part" Melody summed up which made Uma smile at the kind words that resembled Oceana's when Uma officially became Princess Of The Isle.

"Well, my Cotillion experience was a little more... 'scare the girl' type thing" Audrey laughed, "My Grandmother told me about our family history and how I had to hold my head up high and not let anyone bring me down or the kingdom would crumble and collapse. But my nana also told me that I was going to be a just ruler of my kingdom and be remembered as a strong and independent queen because at that time I was single" Audrey explained.

"So everyone has a Cotillion? So why is this one so special?" Mal asked as she placed her heels on the floor and guided her foot into the shoe, smiling when she felt her foot glided into it. "I am never taking these things off, ever again" Mal laughed as she signed loudly making everyone laugh as well.

"Every king, queen or person of high ranking society has some form of Cotillion which everyone just calls 'The Royal Ball For Teenage Royalty'. The Ball is like a larger version of Cotillion where usually ten or fifteen princesses or princes, depending on who is the main guest, are told what their responsibilities will be in the future. Whoever is the highest ranking in society at the ball is usually the 'guest of honour' and the Ball takes place around every five years and people can be between the ages of fourteen too nineteen years old so almost every high ranking person has a Ball or goes to one. It may seem boring but it is so fun" Melody explained causing Mal to nod in understanding.

"Exactly, so I had mine at fifteen before I meet Ben, sorry Mal" Audrey apologised, smiling when Mal nodded and smiled at the princess, informing her that she was okay. "It was amazing like Melody said and I was even crowned the Princess of my kingdom officially but some of my other friends in the court where named 'ladies in waiting' or Duchesses and one was even named Marquess... weird" Audrey laughed, "But we were titled and then a couple of weeks later there was a boy version which was basically the same but with no girls"

"Oh my God, Mal, Diz, it's like the Crowing Of The True Ruler" Uma smiled as Mal and Dizzy smiled at the daughter of Ursula who was beaming at the memories that came flooding back. The Crowing Of The True Ruler was a large festival arranged by Oceana when Uma turned ten years old and was like the official event that celebrated the fact that Uma was now old enough to be the Princess. Everyone was invited and almost everyone came to celebrate the fact that Uma was crowned princess.

Although the whole party was about Uma, the newly appointed Princess spent most of her time playing with her friends or running around the castle, making sure everyone else was okay without a care in the world about herself. Even Mal and her gang showed up to the party for a little bit, and although the Rotten Four would have probably cursed anyone who said that Mal and her friends only showed up to make sure that Uma was alright, it was true and they knew it was true deep down. The Rotten Four arrived at the party and wanted to make sure that Uma was happy and safe and Mal wanted to make sure that her old friend wasn't broken and hurt- although the daughter of Maleficent could see through Uma's fake smile and see the hurt and damaged Uma that no one else could; and truly broke her to know that Uma was in pain because of her reckless and mean actions.

"Remember all the food and decorations that we had? It was amazing and the whole Isle was talking about it for like weeks until school started again" Uma beamed as Mal and Dizzy recalled the party that seemed to happen a lifetime ago. Melody and Audrey shared a confused look with each other before Mal started to explain the basis of what the Crowning Of The True Ruler was and how it compared to Auradon's Ball.

"Wow, that sounds amazing" Melody exclaimed once Mal had finished explaining what the crowning was, and smiled when Audrey agreed with the older princess. "Cotillion is basically that so you will have no problem with it"

"Yea, thanks guys for all this" Mal thanked as she looked at her four friends, "I couldn't have asked for a better Cotillion even if I tried. You guys are honestly some of the best friend's I could have ever asked for."

The five girls continued to talk about what would happen at Cotillion until there was a loud knock at the door, immediately quieting the girls down as they all looked at each other nervously, wondering who was going to answer the door as it was time to go to Cotillion. Dizzy signed before jumping off the bed and running towards the door, looking back to make sure all the girls were stood up and standing in the middle of the room, before slowly opening the wooden door to come face to face with six people; two girls and four boys.

One of the girls was Lonnie, daughter of Mulan who was stood, with her arm wrapped around Jay's, in her Cotillion outfit. Lonnie's outfit was inspired by her families culture which was displayed perfectly in the pink and blue, two-piece, jumpsuit. The whole outfit was a nude-pink with the belt and other small accessories being a light blue that stood out against the lace design of the jumpsuit. There was a long-flowing, pink skirt that acted as a train to the outfit and gave it a touch of femininity to the warrior-inspired clothing and sleeves that ended at Lonnie's elbows were lined with a gold thread which matched the golden cuffs with small designs of dragons on them that encased her wrists. Her heels were gold with small cherry blossoms covering the small four-inch heel and where the fabric wrapped around the bottom of Lonnie's legs with intricately placed holes that let her feet breath in the hot late afternoon sun. Her hair was teased and the top half was pulled back into a french-braid that let people see the small cherry blossom earrings that wrapped themselves around the top of her ear like a branch.

The other girl was Jane, daughter of Fairy Godmother, who was smiling as she held hands with her date, Carlos, who finally got the confidence to ask the headmistresses daughter out last night. Jane's dress was a light blue, that complemented her pale skin and dark hair colour, and was fitting until it went out like a ballgown at the bottom of her stomach, the layers of toll sparkling like pixie dust in the corridors lighting. The dresses 'v' neckline was short and edged with intricate lace detailing that went around the hole where her arms were. There were a pink bow and belt that wrapped around Jane's stomach and matched the girls light pink lipstick and eyeshadow while her shoes were a baby blue and had a simple, two-inch heel, much to Jane's relief. Jane's hair was parted into a side-parting and elegant curls descended down the fairy's back and pinned behind her ear, allowing everyone to see the enchanting blue diamond earrings that Mal had gotten Jane as an apology for the events at Ben's Coronation.

Gil and Harry were stood next to the two couples, their smiles growing when they saw Dizzy blocking their view into the dorm room so they couldn't see their dates dresses. Gil's suit resembled Ben's massively; the only difference is the colour, which was a light brown with gold lining, but his hair still maintained its wild and untamed nature by being swooshed sideways, covering one of his dark brown eyes. Carlos was wearing a smart, black and white jacket with red pants that resembled his normal Isle attire, but still remained classy and clean-cut. His hair was parted down the middle and he let it fall naturally, allowing the straight white tips to fall next to his eyes that were full of love as he looked at his date. Jay's top was leather and with red, brown, yellow and blue detailing and his jeans were a light brown that was tucked into his black boots. Altogether the outfit reminded everyone of the desert and snakes- a subtle hint of his father's magical powers.

"I think we have the wrong room, silly us" Harry mocked as he looked at Dizzy who knocked her head to the side so it rested on the wooden door frame as she smiled at the pirate and his friends, "We are looking for a Dizzy Tremaine but you are obviously a princess, sorry your majesty"

"So this is Miss Dizzy Tremaine" Lonnie smiled as she watched Dizzy blush in embarrassment, "You are right Jay, she does look like a princess. Maybe you can take my crown" Lonnie joked which caused Dizzy to smile and laugh while everyone else watched the conversation with smiled on their faces.

"I'm Dizzy, yea. You must be Lady Lonnie" Dizzy replied as she curtsied at the Lady who nodded her head and curtsied at the little girl. Harry smiled as he stepped forward and picked Dizzy up, being careful not to ruin her hair or dress as he smiled at the little girl. Dizzy smiled as she played with the hook charm on her necklace that Harry gave her. Harry noticed this and smiled, a glint of happiness in his eyes as he realised that Dizzy had stayed true to her word and not took off Harry's, well Harriet's, necklace.

"Well, why don't we all go in and get the rest of our group before we go to the carriages?" Jane suggested which made everyone nod in agreement as they walked in the room, Harry and Gil stopping in the doorframe as they laid their eyes on their dates. Audrey and Uma smiled out of embarrassment as they watched their dates mouths open wide and then close, trying to find the right words to express how beautiful their dates looked and failing- even Gil who had already seen Audrey's dress was shocked at how her hair and makeup (that she did not need) pulled the whole thing together.

"Boy's I would close your mouths" Mal began as she smiled at her brother's reactions to Uma and Audrey's dresses, "Don't want to catch flies do we now?"

"Harry please say something" Uma begged as she stepped forward and smiling at Dizzy who was now standing next to Harry as he had placed her down when he saw Uma's dress. Harry blinked a couple of times before quickly snaking her arm around Uma's waist and pulling her closer, her arms wrapping around his neck subconsciously as she played with the back of his untamed hair, a habit that she knew drove him crazy.

"Gil" Audrey began as she followed Uma's led and walked closer to the pirate who still had yet to speak, "Are you alright?" Audrey asked as she stood in front of the pirate, breathing heavily as she too was taken away with the sophisticated suit her date was wearing. Gil smiled as he broke out of his trance, wrapping his arms around Audrey's waist as she blushed, smiling from ear to ear as Gil pursed his lips together.

"You are stunning" Harry complemented which made Uma blush as Lonnie, Jane and their significant dates started to talk to Mal, Melody and Dizzy, who had moved towards the two girls when Harry and Uma started to talk in hushed whispered, being careful as to make sure that their friends didn't hear them.

"You look breathtaking," Gil told his date who smiled and chuckled as she knocked her head to the side, which made her even more beautiful in Gil's opinion, and smiled as she bit the corner of her lip.

"Oh really?" Audrey and Uma teased in union as they both bit the corner of their lips while their dates agreed with them.

"Hey, lovebirds" Dizzy called out making the two girls turn around in the boy's arms as they smiled at Dizzy who was currently being held by Mal who no dealt told the little girl to interrupt the couple's conversation, because of the cheeky grin plastered on the purple haired teen's face. "We need to leave for the Cottilion now" Dizzy exclaimed making Uma and Audrey smiled and laugh as Lonnie, Jane and their dates started to walk out of the room and towards the front of the school where all the carriages were parked.

* * *

Mal, Uma, Dizzy and Audrey walked down the main stairs of the foyer, with Uma and Mal's arm wrapped around Harry's as they walked down the stairs behind Audrey and Gil who's arms were linked while Audrey held Dizzy's hand with her unused one. Melody had planned on getting a ride with King Ben so she left a little bit earlier than everyone else to avoid running into the press as the adult didn't like the way the paparazzi hounded her for answers about her personal life- like who she was dating which seemed to be a constant question on everyone's mind whenever they thought of the princess. The six friends smiled at the small group of paparazzi that had gathered at the bottom of the stairs, wanting to get pictures of the future Lady Of The Court before she got into her carriage with Uma and Harry- as the couple invited Mal to be in their carriage when Audrey suggested that Dizzy go with her and Gil to then have pictures be taken and answer the paparazzi's questions with someone who has done press-talks before and is very experienced in the way of dealing with the animal-like ways of the press, like Audrey is.

"Miss Mal" some of the reporters called out while Mal breathed in deeply before smiling and nodding her head at the reporters respectively. Cameras flashed and voices rang through the air and Uma smiled nervously, having not experienced anything like this on the Isle even at exclusive parties and royal meetings that seemed small in comparison to Auradon's royal Cotillion. Some of the other news reporters called out for Audrey and some asked who the new Isle transfers were, having not seen them before in any royal event.

"This is Sir Gil and Miss Dizzy Tremaine" Audrey introduced as she stopped at the last two steps of the stairs, posing with her date at the request of the reporters as she answered the questions that were thrown at her by the press. Mal smiled as she watched Dizzy hold her head up high and answer some of the small and simple questions that were thrown at the little girl with ease and grace, making her seem more grown up, much to the surprise of some of the reporters who expected the little girl to answer timidly and hide behind Audrey who was smiling proudly at Dizzy as she looked at the little girl from the corner of her eyes.

"Miss Dizzy, how are you feeling about going to Cotillion?" One of the reporters asked as Audrey smiled down at the little girl who breathed in deeply before answering the question. While Dizzy answered her questions honestly and confidently, Audrey looked back at Gil who was talking to one of the newest reporters, a small and energetic twenty-year-old girl who was talking to Gil about what his life was like before moving to Auradon and somehow Gil managed to make a usually sad and mournful story into one of jokes and good memories with the three people stood behind him.

"I am excited to see all the royal outfits and can't wait to dance with my family and friends" Dizzy answered with a smile as the reporter nodded kindly and wrote down the answer. Another reporter asked the young girl about Dizzy's life before moving to Auradon just like Gil's reporter did while Audrey answered questions about her kingdom and school life. "I lived with my mother and grandmother but I also visited with Miss Mal and Miss Evie with Sir's Jay and Carlos almost every week. I lived a... easy life compared to most" Dizzy answered honestly before Audrey held out her hand for Dizzy to take and smiled before linking her arms with Gil's as they walked through the parting crowd and towards the awaiting carriages. Mal nodded reassuringly as Audrey looked back at the future Lady Of The Court, smiling before she, Dizzy and Gil walked through the open doors of the school and walked around the Beast statue where a large blue carriage was parked where the limo dropped off the Rotten Four when they came almost seven months ago.

Mal, Uma and Harry stepped down the stairs where Audrey, Gil and Dizzy stood seconds ago and breathed in deeply when the reporters changed their attention to the three teenagers and started to almost shout questions at them while cameras flashed and microphones were shoved in their faces. "Lady Mal, who are your new friends?" the reporters called out making Mal smile at the group of strangers before answering the question with a tone of confidence and happiness that could not be ignored by the reporters and her two companions.

"Miss Uma and Sir Harry of the Isle" Mal replied as she nodded her head respectively at her two friends. "Miss Uma is a long time friend of mine and Sir Harry is like my brother and the boyfriend of Miss Uma. My two companions are new here so please, any questions about sensitive topics are to be asked to me and not my friends. I don't want them scared off just yet" Mal joked as some of the reporters smiled at the humour and nodded in agreement while Uma and Harry smiled at Mal thankfully.

"Miss Mal, how are you feeling about becoming Lady Of The Court?" One reporter asked making Mal nod and smile while she answered the question truthfully. "What is it like having more of your Isle friends with you in Auradon? And how are you going to help them go through Auradon's, no doubt, difficult lifestyle with the knowledge you now have, after your short-lived vacation with the king?" Another reporter asked.

Mal smiled as Uma shared a confused look with the purple haired teen, not understanding what the reporters meant by a 'short-lived vacation'. Ben had decided that it would stir more chaos with the press if they found out that Mal had returned to the Isle so instead, he informed the press that their future Lady Of The Court was on a short-lived vacation with the rest of the Rotten Four and Auradon's king for a day or two before Cotillion, when questions started to be asked as to why Mal hasn't been seen. Only a few of the close friends of the Rotten Four knew the truth about where Mal went and why and people like Audrey, Melody and Ariel promised to help with Mal's responsibilities or do something to distract the press if and when things become too much for the purple haired teen to handle.

"I will help my friends if they ever need my help and I am sure they would do the same for me" Mal answered as she felt Harry's arms tense and un-tense, a silent promise to help the girl he considered his sister if she ever so much as asked for his help. Mal smiled up at Harry as she nodded and breathed in deeply, biting the inside of her lip as she looked back at the small crowd who were all waiting for Mal to continue speaking and answer the full question.

"And to continue the answer, I often wonder how I became so lucky when it comes to having such amazing friends" Mal continued as she smiled at Uma and threw her a glance from the corner of her light, emerald green eyes. "Of course I still have people on the Isle who are my family, not blood-related but we are as close as anything, and that is why myself and the king will work tirelessly to make their lives ones full of smiles and hope that one can only achieve in a place like Auradon. But for the friends I have here in Auradon, I have already informed them that they can come to me if they ever need anything, they should only ask"

"But if you please excuse us" Mal added as she picked up the front part of her dress so she couldn't trip as she nodded at the parting reporters who all bowed at the three villain children. "We have a Cotillion to go too" After that Mal, Uma and Harry walked through the school's, wooden doors and towards the awaiting carriage. The vehicle was a replica of Cinderella's carriage, with sold gold doors and walls that sparkled like a thousand specs of pixie dust from the Pixie Tree in Neverland. The seats with made from sold gold with comfy, silk cushions that were lined with the finest golden thread Auradon could offer, sowed by Cinderella's own hardworking mice.

"Wow" Uma breathed out as she took in the way the beautiful detailing stood out against the afternoon sun that was being to fade into a no doubt radiant sunset that matched the exquisite night that was planned out before the teenagers. Mal smiled and nodded at the footmen dressed in blue and gold suits, as she unhooked her arm from Harry's and placed her hand in the extended hand of the footmen who helped Mal into the carriage. Uma also unhooked her arm from Harry's and smiled at the footmen, nodding before she too stepped into the carriage with the extra help of Harry who didn't like the way the footmen's eyes light up when he and Uma touched hands. Harry climbed into the carriage last, sitting beside Uma while Mal sat opposite the couple as the door closed and the footmen jumped onto the back of the carriage, the white horses leading it around the road and towards the boat where Cotillion would be held.

"Oh, Harry, don't look so moody" Mal smiled as she and Uma shared a small laugh at the angry gleam in Harry's eyes, "We are going to have fun at Cotillion after all. And I don't think Uma would much appreciate you being over-protective all night so let loose and have fun" Mal exclaimed as Uma smiled and nodded in agreement, crossing her legs over each other and she rested her conjoined hands on her knee.

"She's right, my love" Uma agreed as she leaned against Harry who instantly wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "I don't need all of your protection tonight. I promise that I only have eyes for you and anyway, I prefer pirates over footmen" Uma smiled as she snuggled into Harry's side making Mal smile. After all the hardships the couple had faced on the Isle, Mal was happy to see the two people she considered family be happy and so in love, _like herself and Ben_ she thought happily as she thought back to all the conversations her and Evie had where they gushed about how perfect the other one's boyfriend was for them.

"Mal, are you alright?" Uma asked, concern ringing through her voice once she noticed that Mal hadn't spoken for almost a minute now. Mal hummed in acknowledgement as she shock her head slightly, smiling at the couple reassuringly. "You have barely spoken since we have gotten into the carriage and that was almost three minutes ago"

"I'm fine, just thinking of Evie, you know?" Mal asked causing Uma to nod and smile in understanding. In truth, the purple haired teen wanted her sister by her side but she knew why Evie couldn't be at Cotillion and respected her enough to let her do her own thing without hassle or judgement.

"Don't worry about E. I'm sure she is fine, and like she said, she will watch the Cotillion" Uma ensured as she reached forward and took Mal's hand in hers, fighting the urge to smile as she thought about how happy Mal would be to have her baby sister by her side, even if Evie was only younger by a couple of months. Uma knew that Mal wanted her by her side and that alone made a small smile appear on Uma's lips but she also knew that Mal would want both of her sister's by her side when she walked down the stairs and towards her one true love.

"Yea" Mal agreed as she gave Uma's hand one last reassuring squeeze before gently pulling away, leaning back so she got a perfect view of the bustling streets that were filled with people from all around the kingdom, that hoped to get a glimpse of what their future Lady Of The Court looked like. Mal smiled at the crowd as she started to wave, just like Queen Belle and Queen Leah did on special, royal events. Harry and Uma shared a happy smile as they watched their friend interact with the crowd while a large smile played at the corners of her pink lips, and as Harry moved to hold Uma's hand and start rubbing her knuckles, she finally knew that Mal was ready to be Lady Of The Court, her assumptions were only confirmed when Harry smiled and brought up her knuckles to kiss them, a loving smile playing on his lips as he did so.

* * *

"Lady Mal!" reporters called out as she posed on the blue carpet that led to the large, white and gold boat that was already bustling with life as the speakers blasted out upbeat music for the high ranking society members to dance too as they waited for the special guests to arrive. Harry and Uma were stood a few feet away from Mal as they too posed and answered questions from the press while Harry wrapped his arm around Uma's waist as she snaked her own arm around his torso and placed her other hand on her hip.

"Yes," Mal answered as she watched, from the corner of her eye, Uma giggle and hit Harry's chest playfully after Harry answered a question about how the two feel in love. Mal smiled at some of the other reporters as she placed her hand on her hip and posed while she waited for the reporter to ask her a question.

"Who designed your dress?" A voice called out making Mal smile as she informed of who made her dress. The reporter smiled at the answer, already knowing that Evie had designed the dress as that is the only person Mal trusted with her clothes, while he wrote down the answer in a small, pocket-sized notepad while Mal continued to pose for the pictures.

Mal smiled and walked up the blue carpet after she saw Harry and Uma continue walking and head up the stairs that connected the boat to the mainland. Mal nodded before she walked up the wooden stairs, being careful of her dress as she concentrated on her footing when she realised just now hard it was to walk in a large ballgown like the one she was wearing. Upon arrival at the top of the stairs, Mal looked up to see Queen Belle smiling at the purple haired teen as she waited patiently for her to reach the top of the stairs. Queen Belle's dress was another Evie's original made by special request of the former queen who's dress shined like a thousand diamonds. The dress was a modern take on Belle's original ballgown but it was smaller so the former queen could easily move around on the deck of the party. The white beads were a new addition to the dress and sparkled as they climbed up the torso and the lace that covered Belle's shoulder and showed off the heart-shaped neckline of the dress. Queen Belle's long brown hair was pulled up into a bun that wrapped around the back of Belle's head, with small curls that framed her face and curled themselves around the base of her gold tiara to secure it. The tiara was simple and had small white diamonds with bands of gold connecting the gems and create a point at the top where a small white diamond lay, bound with gold.

"Queen Belle" Mal greeted as she curtsied to the former queen who smiled kindly and curtsied in response. Belle extended her arm out to the purple haired teen who nodded and wrapped her own arm around the outstretched one as the two started to walk further into the boat and into a small room at the back of the boat that connected to the stairs everyone would have to walk down in a few moments. The room itself was small and cosy, with white walls and a couple of cream sofa's that surrounded a glass coffee table and large tv that was suspended on the wall, under the large fireplace that was lit with magic. The cream carpet muffled the sound of the two women's heels as Queen Belle nodded at the servants that were stood by the Chester drawers, where Mal could just about make out a bowl of strawberry and grapes with some sandwiches that rested on a golden tray on the furniture. The two servants bowed and left the room, bowing again to Mal before closing the door, leaving the former queen and Lady Of The Court alone.

"Please have a seat" Belle kindly said as she moved towards the Chester drawers. Mal breathed in deeply before she moved to sit on the long, comfy sofa opposite the coffee table. Queen Belle sat next to the future Lady Of The Court after she placed the golden tray on the table, with two small cups of freshly made tea resting on mats next to a plate of bite-size sandwiches. Mal smiled at the former queen as the two women reached forward and took one of the teacups, resting it in their laps as they both smiled at each other before taking a sip of the drink that instantly calmed Mal down. "You may be wondering why I wanted to see you" Belle started which made Mal nod as the two women placed down their cups of tea in favour of talking to one another.

"I just wanted to thank you. I always wanted a daughter" Belle started as she looked at the blazing fire, smiling kindly as she felt Mal turn to look at the fire as well. "To teach her how to dance and sing, makeup and to read to at night. I never had a mother to do that so I wanted my child to have a mother who is always there for them, no matter what. And I can see now that you are exactly that, and not only that but someone who is going to protect my son, even when I can not" Belle explained causing Mal to look at the queen in shock.

"I know the feeling" Mal replied making Queen Belle to look at Mal with a small, sad smile. Mal breathed in deeply as she looked down, twiddling her fingers together as she started to explain. "My mother wasn't the best and she was often less than kind. I used to lay awake at night after a nightmare and just wonder what I did wrong for my mother to hate me so. My mother wasn't supportive or happy, she didn't smile much but was always there to watch me fail. I know I'm good now but I think I'm always going to be that little girl chasing my mother's affection for the rest of my life, no matter what happens"

"I guess we are more alike then we believe. Both missed out on a mother figure" Belle replied as she watched Mal breath in deeply and nod in agreement. "Thank you for being there for my son. I know I was surprised that you and my son were dating at the start but after seeing you change for this kingdom and for Ben and get lost so many times; I now know that you are the perfect person for my son. Even when you were lost, you still made sure Ben stayed true to himself and he was safe, never once caring about the cost it had on your own happiness"

"Thank you for raising him" Mal replied with a smile as she and Belle sat in comfortable silence, the only sound being the crackling of the fire in front of them. Queen Belle and Mal sat in silence, with one of them grabbing a strawberry or grape every once in a while or their cup of tea as they silently thanked each other for being there. The next few minutes floated over the two women in a matter of seconds and in almost no time, the two heard a loud knock on the door that broke the two out of their trance and forced them to look at the slightly open door where a small head pocked into the room which Mal could instantly recognise as Jay's.

"Sorry to interrupt but it's time, your royal highness" Jay said as he walked into the room and bowed to the former queen as she and Mal stood up from the comfy sofa. Mal smiled and laughed as Queen Belle curtsied to Jay before saying goodbye to both the teenagers and walking out of the room, giving Mal one last warm smile before she walked to go find her husband and watch Mal walk down the stairs.

"Hay" Jay said, breaking Mal out of her trance as she looked at her brother who had his arm extended out for her. "You okay? We need to go so I can go back to Lonnie in time to see my beautiful sister walk down the stairs and towards her own true love" Jay added as Mal blushed and wrapped her arm around Jay's as the two started to walk down the short corridor and towards the cut in the wall where the stairs started.

"I'm fine" Mal answered Jay's previous question as she focused on her shallow breathing which didn't go unnoticed by Jay, who looked at his sister with a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.

"Lonnie does this before a fight. She starts to get nervous and breathes unevenly" Jay whispers as they walk past some of the guards, who all bowed their heads to the future Lady Of The Court as she walked past. "But the moment she looks her opponent in the eyes, everything goes away and its just them two, out there, on the mat. That's what this is going to be like, so ignore the butterflies in your stomach and just focus on how you are going to take Ben's breath away when he see's you in this dress" Jay adds kindly as the two stop walking, realising that this is where they part so Mal can walk down the stairs towards Ben while Jay goes over to Lonnie.

"Thanks, Jay. And Lonnie is really lucky to have someone like you in her life" Mal replies with a smile as she forgets about her breathing and instead, focuses on how her brother's eyes light up with love at the mention of the daughter of Mulan. Mal laughed before pulling Jay into a short hug, smiling when she felt Jay rest his chin on her head as she wrapped her arms around his torso, not caring about the guards that were watching from their posts.

"Love ya sis" Jay whispered which made Mal's smile widen as she nodded into Jay's chest, feeling the way his chest vibrated when he laughed at her actions. Mal leaned back and breathed in deeply, moving so her hands were resting on his arms instead of his chest, and looked him in the eyes that were shining with love and pride as Jay watched his little sister grown up before his eyes.

"Love you too bro" Mal giggled and for the first time in years, Jay saw a glimpse of the young and carefree Mal that he grew up with before Maleficent manipulated her into being evil and wicked. This Mal was always smiling and having fun, mischevious and troublesome but not evil and couldn't hurt a firefly if she wanted too. This was the Mal that ruled the Isle with Oceana, not the Mal that was always in her mother's shadow- who only cared about getting her full name and having her mother be proud of her for once, no matter the cost. This was the Mal who would sit with Evie while the blue-haired girl cried her eyes out after talking with her mother or when she had a nightmare, the one who would hold her and tell her that everything was going to be okay, even if that wasn't always the case. Jay missed that Mal and although she never truly left -because Mal still looked after her family and people, never once letting her mother's harsh words affect the way she ruled with justice and mercy- she was less frequent. Like an old friend, her visits became less and less until she only appeared when someone was in desperate need of her.

"See, keep that smile. It suits you" Jay joked as he playfully pinched Mal's checks which caused a loud giggle to erupt from the girl's lips as she blushed and tried to get Jay's hands of her checks. Jay smiled before releasing Mal's checks but leaving his hand on one of her check, being held there by Mal's smaller hand as she tilted her head to the side and looked up at her brother with a large smile. "I miss this you. Don't chase her away like last time, please" Jay begs making Mal nod in agreement.

"I promise but I have to go now. Promise me you will watch me and come to meet me at the bottom of the stairs with Uma" Mal replied as she looked up at Jay with pleading eyes while pulling the puppy face as her lip quivered and she looked up at Jay through her long eyelashes.

"I promise, now come on. I have to go meet Lonnie and you need to go to your true love" Jay replied as he stepped back, removing his hand from Mal's check as he smiled at his sister. Jay bowed at Mal, who giggled like the little girl who filled almost all of the happy memories Jay had from his childhood, as she curtsied and watched as Jay smiled and nodded at his sister one last time before walking quickly down the corridor and towards his date who, like the rest of the boat, was waiting for Mal to walk down the stairs. Mal breathed in deeply before nodding towards Lumiere as she peered around the corner and listened as the upbeat music was replaced with the loud rings of the trumpets while Mal took one last breath by her self and turned the corner, looking down to see all of her friends smiling madly at her as everyone clapped and curtsied or bowed for the future Lady Of The Court.

"The future Lady Mal" Lumiere called out as Mal stepped out from behind the wall. Mal breathed in nervously as she nodded towards Lumiere and stood frozen, watching as some of her closest and personal friends- and some of the lesser known royal's- bowed to her like she was their queen. Mal watched with a wide smile when she saw Ben stand up properly from his bow, his hazel brown eyes full with so much pride and love that Mal could have sworn that they were the only two people on the boat. While keeping her eyes firmly locked with Ben's, Mal finally felt all her nerves and worries wash away as she descended down the elegant blue carpet lined with gold that covered the stairs and towards Queen Belle and King Adam who stood proudly next to the stairs. Mal breathed a sigh of relief when she saw King Adam extend his hand for the teenager to take as she walked over to the former rulers who were smiling at the teenager proudly.

"Hi" King Adam greeted as he let go of Mal's hand and wrapped his arm around his wife's waist who smiled proudly at Mal- unaware of the loving look King Adam sent his wife as Mal smiled, while she watched the couple interact and wondered if she and Ben were ever going to be like that. With Ben stood in his royal blue suit and untamed hair that didn't seem to stay still no matter what spell Mal cast, as he gazed down at her lovingly while she talked to somebody- unaware of the lovingly look that was sent her way- unknowingly, describing what Ben was doing right now.

"You look absolutely breathtaking" King Adam added as he looked at Mal's dress while Mal blushed at the compliment. Queen Belle smiled at the teen as she nodded in agreement, her eyes full of love and happiness when her eyes landed on Mal's- or more accurately, Evie's- necklace. Mal had put on the necklace before leaving for Cotillion and although it was slightly hidden as the shade of the purple was the exact shade of the cape that was wrapped around Mal's neck, the gold lining and blue part of the heart stood out and Belle instantly knew who's necklace it was.

"Thank you, your majesty" Mal replied with a smile as she curtsied to the royal couple. Belle smiled and waved Ben over slightly as Mal and King Adam started to talk about Mal's dress, a clear distraction so Ben could sneak up on Mal and surprise her. Mal smiled as she felt someone tap her shoulder lightly and step back, giving her enough room to curtsy at King Adam and Queen Belle before she turned around to see her true love bowing at her.

"King Ben" Mal greeted as she curtsied at the king who smiled before taking Mal's hand in his own and pressing a quick kiss on her knuckles while he stood up. Mal blushed as she looked into Ben's eyes which were full of love and joy, much like her own as the two shared a silent conversation.

"Lady Mal" Ben replied with a teasing smile which made Mal's heart skip a beat. Mal broke away from Ben's gaze, in fear of doing something she might regret like kissing Ben in front of his parents and almost the whole court, and turned her head to see all her friends stood in the front row. Uma broke free of Harry's arms that were wrapped around her waist and stepped forward, curtsying to Mal quickly before stretching out her hand and smiling at Mal who quickly pressed a gentle kiss on Ben's check before walking over to Uma and placing her hand in the other girls.

"Now, we have a little surprise for you" Uma started as she moved Mal down the last couple of stairs and towards her smiling friends. Mal smiled nervously as she felt Ben move closer to her and place a comforting hand on her shoulder, unknowingly calming down all her racing nerves that couldn't seem to slow down until she felt Ben's hot breath trail down her neck as he kissed her check in a calming manner, leaving a trail of goosebumps and making her shiver in his arms. Uma smiled as she looked back at the royal couple, standing next to Harry as she nodded to Jay and Lonnie who were in the middle of the line of friends. Lonnie and Jay moved forward and sideways, creating a space in the middle of the line where Mal could see the person she had missed for days on end.

"Evie!"


	23. “Hello, mother”

"Evie!"

"Hey, you didn't think I could let you become a Lady and me not be here, did you?" Evie asked sarcastically as she extended her arms out, inviting Mal in for a hug which she gladly accepted as the purple haired girl wrapped her arms around her sister's torso and breathed in deeply, the smell of blueberries and lavender filling her nose as Evie wrapped her arms around her sister's. Snuggling her head against Evie's bare shoulder, not wanting to let go as Evie smiled, Mal was careful as to not ruin her sisters extravagant yet highly simple makeup- that consisted of light blue eyeshadow with pale, pink lipstick and a light coat of foundation that made her clear skin shine in the Cotillion boats lighting- as she pressed her chin against the top of Mal's head, smiling at Uma gratefully which made the daughter of Ursula smile and nod in response. Evie's Cotillion dress resembled that of a modern celebrity crossed with the elegance a princess would kill to have- with one sleeve that wrapped around the whole of Evie's shoulder, leaving the other one exposed and bare, while the beautiful beading sparkled in the light as it wrapped around the whole dress to symbolise the branches of an old oak tree that were twisted from years of neglect but were still beautiful- much like Evie was. The long, sheer cape blew in the light breeze on the boat, lifting up to fly behind Evie before lowering back to the ground, the fabrics diamonds resembling the stars that would start to appear in an hour or so. Evie's hair was pulled back into a bun that matched with Queen Belle's- the only difference being the curled, thick strand that fell out of the bun and stopped just below her bare shoulder.

"I missed you so much" Mal muttered as she snuggled closer to Evie, not wanting the moment to end as a small nagging voice at the back of Mal's head informed her the sad and unwanted truth- that she did not control time and that Evie was most likely going to leave again after Cotillion and when she made sure that Mal and the rest of her family were safe and happy. It broke Evie's heart as she thought about all the voices shouting in Mal's head. Some of the voices telling her that Evie was here so she should enjoy it, others saying that it was a dream and she was going to wake up and then one small voice saying the complete opposite- that this was the real world and that the moment would come where Evie had to leave again and the faltering smile on Mal's lips only seemed to confirm Evie's hypothesis as she looked down at her best friend.

"I missed you too" Evie finally muttered into Mal's hair as she kissed her sister's head, reassuring her that she was, in fact, real before looking up at her friends who were all gazing at the two girls happily. Evie smiled as she pulled away from Mal, only enough to see Mal's face and outfit but still keeping the girl close enough that the girls didn't need to raise their voices above a whisper or have to break apart from their hug. "Look at you" Evie gushed as she looked at Mal's smiling face, seeing the small tears that welled up in Mal's eyes upon her sister's arrival, "Mal, you look so beautiful and like a queen. It seems like only yesterday that you were complaining about coming here, to Auradon, and now look at you. The Lady Of The Court and future queen. Please don't cry, we are supposed to be happy here"

"I'm sorry it's just" Mal signed as Evie pulled her back into a tight hug, wrapping her arms around Mal's waist as she ran her fingers through Mal's long hair to calm her down. "I thought you wouldn't come back or that you were in trouble. I've missed you so, so much and I'm... I'm scared that you will leave again" Mal whispered.

"Oh, Mal" Evie signed as she pulled Mal away slightly and placed her finger under Mal's chin. Mal looked up at Evie and smiled slightly as Evie wiped the tears away from Mal's rosy cheeks, "I'm fine, I promise. You will never lose me because I will always be your sister, just like Uma is our sister. It doesn't matter where I am or what happens, I will always be your sister. Please never forget that" Evie begged as she smiled at her sister, not noticing the way Uma wiped her eyes free of the tears threatening to spill when Evie mentioned her name.

"Now, that I'm here. I got one question" Evie started as she looked at the rest of her friends, all of who were smiling from ear to ear at the mischievous grin on Evie's lips. "Where's the music?" Evie laughed as the DJ gave Evie the thumbs up before pressing play on the music which became the upbeat song Freddie, the crazy and fun daughter of , sang before she moved to New Orleans to continue her schoolwork there in favour of going to Auradon Prep.

"Couldn't have said it better myself sis" Jay replied as Evie and Mal walked closer to their group of friends, arm in arm as they watched the unknown people of the council dance with their dates. Evie smiled as she unhoped her arm from around Mal's and hugged Jay and Carlos, smiling when she saw Mal kiss Ben's cheek before turning around to face everyone else, resting her hand on Ben's as they wrapped around her waist. Evie then quickly hugged everyone until she reached Dizzy, who was stood next to Audrey, Gil and Doug, all of whom had large smiles on their faces.

"Hey Gil" Evie greeted as she quickly hugged the pirate, "So are you dating Audrey?" Evie whispered in his ear before she pulled away just enough to see the goofy grin on Gil's face as he nodded and took Audrey's hand in hers which only made the princess blush profusely. Evie laughed and congratulated them before turning towards Doug who had his hand resting on Dizzy's shoulder as the little girl tried to hold back her own tears.

"Hey Doug" Evie greeted as she smiled at her boyfriend lovingly, a small giggle escaping from her lips when Doug took her hand in his own and gently pulled her closer, hugging her tightly as he wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her close. Evie snuggled closer to her boyfriend as she hooked her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, letting a few, small tears escape her chocolate brown eyes that were swimming in love and happiness.

"I love you so, so much" Doug whispered as he kissed Evie's blushing cheek. Evie moved some of Doug's messy hair from out of his eyes as she smiled warmly up at him -even with her blue, four-inch heels Doug was still slightly taller than the daughter of the Evil Queen but Evie didn't mind as it meant that the couple could hug each other without having to worry about messing up Evie's perfect curls.

"I love you too" Evie whispered as she giggled at Doug's shocked expression. Just like Mal and Uma, it was hard for Evie to allow herself to fall in love- especially when it came to defining what the word meant after living on the Isle Of The lost for almost sixteen, long and painful years. To Evie, Mal and Uma love was having the Evil Queen tell Evie that she was pretty but not pretty enough to do anything and for the former queen to try and poison her own daughter almost every day. To the three Vk's, love was having Mal be so weak after a punishment from her mother that it was hard to stand, let alone walk in a straight line without assistance. On the Isle Of The Lost, love was Uma having scars on her back and arms, that she has to cover with makeup or magic, from her mother.

So it was fair to say that, for the tree Vk girls, love was somewhat of a mystery. It was something they didn't quite understand and something they tried desperately to avoid when Mal and Evie first came to Auradon all those months ago. This explains Doug's shocked reaction because whenever he told Evie that he loved her -which was almost every day as Doug was absolutely certain that the butterflies in his stomach and the way his heartbeat quickened whenever Evie was around only confirmed his feelings- Evie would usually smile and start to play with a loose strand of hair, a nervous habit Doug had picked up on in their six-month-old relationship, before acting like it wasn't said or change the conversation.

Evie winked teasingly and before Doug could respond, kissed him lightly which made all his words die on the tip of his tongue as he felt Evie melt into the kiss. Sparks enlightened in Evie's stomach as her lips seemed to mould perfectly with Doug's, like two pieces of a jigsaw that were made to connect and complete the picture. Evie smiled into the kiss before slowly pulling away, watching as Doug's eyes fluttered open and shined with love as Evie's breathing quickened slightly. Evie smiled mischievously as she pulled away from Doug's arms, unwrapping her arms from around Doug's neck, before fully stepping out of Doug's hold and moving to talk to the last member of her family.

"Hey, Diz" Evie greeted as she knelt in front of the little girl, her head tilted to the side as she looked into Dizzy's chocolate eyes, that resembled Evie's almost identically, that were filled with unshed tears that Dizzy was trying really hard not to let fall. "I heard a hug makes everything better" Evie suggested as she opened her arms out, smiling when Dizzy rushed into her awaiting arms and snuggled closer to the blue-haired teen. Evie wrapped her arms around Dizzy before standing up properly, with Dizzy wrapping her legs around Evie's waist as she cried softly into Evie's bare shoulder- letting out all of the emotion she felt over the last couple of days. Evie ran her hand through Dizzy's curled hair as she placed her other hand on the back of Dizzy's head, smiling softly to her friends as she swayed from side to side.

"I-I-I thought you weren't coming back for ages. I thoughts you left us here" Dizzy muttered into Evie's shoulder as she wrapped her arms around the blue haired girl's neck.

"I would never, ever leave you" Evie whispered before she kissed Dizzy's forehead, moving a piece of the girls curled hair behind her ear as she caressed her rosy cheek. "I love you too much to leave you alone. I will always be there for you- even when your grown-up and you have your own family, I will always be there for you. That's why I gave you my ring- so you always have a part of me with you" Evie reassured as she smiled sweetly at the younger girl.

After a couple of minutes of catching up and joking with one another, the group of friends all started to dance when a new, popular song began to play from the loud, speakers at the other end of the boat. Melody, who was stood beside Ben and Mal as she talked to Dizzy who still hadn't let go of Evie and had placed her head on her bare shoulder to be able to see the princess as she pulled funny faces to make the younger girl laugh, was dancing with Dizzy after the younger girl had finally got the confidence to let go of Evie and enjoy the night. While Dizzy laughed and smiled with the princess, Mal, Evie, Lonnie, Audrey and Jane decided to dance along with the two girls as the boys watched their dates from the side of the boat -next to the long table of food- as they chatted aimlessly about the newest Tourney scores- filling Harry and Gil in on what the spot was in the process. Uma however, decided not to dance or join her date like she usually did and instead, sneaked up the stairs and towards some of the vacant rooms on the boat, unknowingly being followed by Fairy Godmother who was wondering where the sea-witches daughter was going when the party was outside, instead of in the dimly light rooms on the ship.

Uma breathed in deeply before twisting a door handle and opening the wooden door that was lined with gold. The door was at the end of the corridor and would have usually been gaured by two armour glad soldiers but because this was Auradon, there was no need for guards, especially when everything 'evil' or 'rotten' was on the Isle. Uma looked over her shoulder at the empty corridor and sighed in relief but she was still an Isle girl and wouldn't have survived as long as she did on that horrible island if she believed that an empty corridor was a safe one. But nevertheless, Uma walked into the large room and kicked the door shut behind her, mesmerised by the stain-glass windows that lined the room and the large windows that spaced them out- giving the daughter of Ursula the perfect view of the clear blue sea, her real home.

The stain glass windows were images of some of the most famous 'happily ever after's' Uma could recall from her distant memories. The one in the centre of the back wall was, of course, the two former rulers, Queen Belle and King Adam- after they defeated the enchantress curse that made King Adam turn into being a hideous beast until someone loved him before the last petal fell from the magical rose- gazing into each other's eyes lovingly as the moon shone high above them. Uma was familiar with the story of the two former rulers of Auradon but she did always prefer Tiana's love story as Uma believed it was more like her own relationship with Harry. Of course, she never had to turn into a frog or sing with a crocodile- especially after Harry tried to get one to bite off his hand, she refused to even let him within five feet of one after that instant- but she did know what it was like to only focus on achieving your goals for your family and friends and not listen to her own heart.

After walking further into the room, standing underneath the diamond chandelier that sparkled and reflected the flame from the wall mounted candles that were enchanted to never die, she spotted a stain glass window that looked vaguely familiar. The picture was like the others, with a picture of a happy couple gazing into each other's eyes lovingly as they held hands, but what was different in this picture was the way they held each other's hand. You see, in all the other pictures every figure was intertwined and they held on to each other like their life depended on it but in this picture, it was only one finger. One finger that was lopped around the others pinkie. A simple gesture that often flies's over someone's head.

Thinking about it, Uma couldn't count the number of times Harry had calmed her down by loping her pinkie around his own and gazing at her with a silent question about whether or not she was okay or needed his help. At that moment, time seemed to stop and the only two people in the whole world were the two of them. And it finally clicked to Uma about what love really was. All her life, Uma was told that love was saving the other person and accepting the other one's flaws and even though that was correct, the words Oceana told her little sister rang clear in her mind when she noticed the conjoined hands of the two lovers in the photo.

 _"Love isn't about taking long walks on the beach or candlelight dinners. Love is about your significant other noticing the way your eyes sparkle in a different lighting or the way they whisper in your ear that they are there for you and that everything will be okay when you're scared. The hugs from behind and the gentle kisses on the forehead show them you care enough to be vulnerable in front of them. That, my little sister, is love- in its strongest form. Never lose it"_

Oceana had explained which made Uma smile as she stepped forward and placed her hand on the connected pinkies on the stain glass window and looked past it, towards the calm ocean, a small tear escaping her dark chocolate eyes while she looked at the distant Isle Of The Lost- where her sisters were no doubt worrying about her. Oceana may not have had any idea about what love was- her mother never loved her- but that didn't mean that she never stopped trying to give Uma and Pearl the opportunity to love and smile that she never had. Oceana wasn't perfect -no one is- but to Uma, she was the person that prevented her heart from turning stone cold, and instead, warmed it with love and hope. "I promise to get you out of there, Oceana and Pearl. You just got to hold on for a bit longer" Uma whispered as she quickly wiped away her falling tear. Uma breathed in as she shook her head slightly to try and regain her composure.

"Queen Ariel and Miss Evie have told me a lot about you" Uma jumped at the caring voice behind her, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw Fairy Godmother stood in the middle of the room as she looked at the stained glass window behind Uma. The long, blue dress that was embedded with gems, flowed elegantly towards the floor as Fairy Godmother stood in the middle of the room, a large smile playing at her lips as she looked at Uma's surprised face. Like Queen Belle, Fairy Godmother's long, brown hair was pulled back into a bun that secured the simple, gold tiara on top of her head which matched her large, expensive pearl earrings that made Uma do a double take.

The pearls were large and lined with gold while they took up almost half of the fairy's ear which made Uma slightly mad. The Isle was struggling with food and it seemed like everyone in Auradon had expensive pearl earrings or necklaces and she knew that it wasn't Fairy Godmothers fault but she could have helped the Isle's livings conditions, couldn't she? Uma thought about all the hungry children on the Isle and all the times she gave her food to people on her crew because they hadn't eaten a decent meal that week. Uma shook her head of the terrible memories and instead focused on the women in front of her that was currently looking at her in a way that made Uma tilt her head to the side and look at the fairy sceptically- for the motherly smile on the other women's lips was something new to Uma and therefore dangers.

"I didn't mean to scare you, dear" Fairy Godmother apologised as her smile faltered when Uma stepped back slightly, not knowing how to react to the caring voice and large smile on the woman's lips. "You're like Mal, I see" Fairy Godmother noted as she moved to sit in the bay window and patted a space next to her, inviting Uma to sit down as the young girl watched Fairy Godmother carefully. Uma breathed in deeply before moving to sit next to Fairy Godmother, leaving a large space in between her and fairy- a natural side effect of growing up in a dangerous place like the Isle Of The Lost.

"What did you mean when you said that I was like Mal?" Uma asked timidly from where she was sat, next to Fairy Godmother, as she gazed out of the window and towards the horrid Island where the ever-present grey cloud loomed over Uma's past home, preventing the golden ray's of Auradon's shining sun from penetrating the barrier and allow fresh vegetables and fruits to be grown on all of the Isle- instead of just some lucky parts where the conditions were just right.

It was another one of Auradon's tricks, Uma supposed. The large cloud that covered the whole of the island was there so the Isle inhabitance couldn't grow a large amount of their own healthy food and have to rely on Auradon's shipments to survive. Uma imagined it was so the villains knew that they owed their food -and therefore life- to the 'heroes' and the king's and queen's suspected that the villains would be less hostile which made Uma inwardly laugh. If anything, it made the villains madder and less tamed towards the 'good heroes' that had trapped them for all eternity without their magic.

"That cloud" Uma noted as she nodded towards the glom that hung above the dilapidated houses and shops of the Isle when Fairy Godmother looked confusingly at the young girl. "It stopped all the Isle inhabitants -my people- when seeing the stars at night or from seeing the bright sun that was always in the background of those 'be good' posters. I want my sisters and my friends to see the stars and sun but they can't unless somebody gives them a chance" Uma added, her confident and strong demeanour coming back as she looked at the Isle and the rough sea surrounding it that dared the Isle's population to journey to the edge of the barrier- in hope of breaking the invisible dome and coming to Auradon for a better life or revenge.

"We will give them a chance to be good and come to Auradon" Fairy Godmother ensured which made Uma smile as the older women reached over and took Uma's hand in her own as she nodded in reassurance. Uma nodded as she thought about how to phase her next sentence.

"They won't get a chance to come to Auradon if you don't help me" Uma replied, studying Fairy Godmother's face as the older women's face morphed into one of confusion and worry which Uma suspected was for her family's, friends, students and kingdom's future. "My mother wants me to get your wand, realise her and give her the trident so she can overthrow King Ben and proclaim herself Queen of Auradon and the Isle"

"Well, Ursula isn't getting out of the Isle so that shouldn't be a problem" Fairy Godmother interrupted, cheerfully, which made Uma shake her head. _She's acting like it's that simple_ Uma thought sadly as she watched the fairy's face fall at the small shake of the younger girls head.

"It's not that simple" Uma replied as she quickly stood up and started to pace up and down the room, trying to communicate the fears she had been having since she found out about her mother's plan. "I have two sisters on the Isle and friends and family. Ursula will target my loved ones if I don't do as she says and knowing my mother she would pick the weakest one which just so happens to be my youngest sister, Pearl. Pearl is thirteen years old and she hasn't had much experience with Ursula so she wouldn't know when to run and hide or when doing so would be dangerous. Fairy Godmother, I understand that you have to do what's right for your kingdom but I'm trying to do what's best for mine and just leaving Ursula on the Isle with my family and my people will put them in danger"

"Mal told me about Pearl and Oceana. They sound like wonderful girls. Strong and independent" Fairy Godmother commented which made Uma stop pacing and smile at the older ladies kind words.

"They are" Uma agreed, "And as a sister, I don't want them to be hurt because of my actions. Queen Ariel and one of Princess Melody's friends are swimming around the Isle so when Ursula comes to the edge, they can contact Melody and she can tell me so I can spell my mother here but I need to use your wand" Uma pleaded as she walked closer to Fairy Godmother and sat next to the older fairy who looked conflicted as she thought about what would be right for Auradon and the Isle's people and future.

"Uma" Fairy Godmother started, "You are aware that you are asking for me to allow you to bring over one of the most dangerous villains to ever be and allow the fate of Auradon's people to rest in your hands? Do you understand what that means or what would entail if things went wrong?"

"I do understand Fairy Godmother" Uma agreed, "But do _you_ understand that if I don't this then the whole Island, my family along with it, will be in danger and could be killed with moments notice from some of Ursula's supports? One of them tried to kill Mal when she went back to the Isle and that was just because she choose good! Imagine what they would do to my family when they not only find out that I have chosen good but also ignored my mother's requests and not helped her off the Island!"

"I know I am asking you to put Auradon at risk by doing this but I vowed to my sister's and people that I would never put them in danger. I swore to all the gods on Mount Olympus that my people would never be in danger because of me and I want to keep that promise. I don't want to be the person to destroy the Isle, even if I didn't give the command, because that's what I would be doing if I don't use the wand and get Ursula away from the Isle long enough to stop her" Uma added after she had calmed down.

"You really are like Mal" Fairy Godmother chuckled which made Uma nod in agreement. "She and you both care about the Isle and it's inhabitance, even though you no longer live there. It's your home, isn't it?"

"Yes, the Isle is our home. Mal was the queen and I was a princess, but that doesn't count for much here, does it?" Uma asked. "I don't have a real crown like Audrey or Melody or have heroic parents like Jane or Ben or Lonnie. Whenever I try and do something good, like now, all I think about is that people only see me as the evil women who gave birth to me. I'm trying to change that but I need your help and the wand"

Fairy Godmother signed as she thought about all the pros and cons of giving Uma her wand and bringing over the evil sea witch that caused Queen Ariel and King Eric so much pain and heartache. Of course, she would be present so if anything were to happen, one swoosh of her wand would send Ursula back to the Isle Of The Lost in handcuff's and with guards so nothing happened to Uma's family and friends on the Isle. Fairy Godmother could see no flaw in the pain and -maybe in better circumstances- she would have congratulated the daughter of Ursula on her very thought out plan that seemed to have taken quite a long time to think about by the way Uma seemed to be going over the plan in her mind as she muttered numbers and problems under her breath which quickly got solved by her quick thinking brain.

"Mother, it's time for Mal's crowing. Hi, Uma" A voice broke the girls out of their silence as they both simultaneously lifted their head to see Jane, leaning against the doorframe as she smiled at Uma politely before looking pointedly at her mother. Fairy Godmother nodded before standing up, wiping off the invisible dirt on her sky-blue dress before turning to Uma who already had a sad look on her face- believing that Fairy Godmother was about to say no to her request and the thing that was holding up Uma's thought out plan, was going to collapse making the plan crumble with it as Uma had forgotten to build support beams.

"You have my permission to do whatever you need to make sure your family is safe, dear" Fairy Godmother informed Uma with a graceful smile before nodding towards the Isle princess and walking towards the door where Jane was stood, looking at her mother confusingly.

"Thank you, Fairy Godmother" Uma quickly spoke up when Fairy Godmother reached the door as she stood up and signed deeply, watching as the fairy turned around to give Uma a small nod in acknowledgement. "For everything" Uma added sincerely as she twidled her thumbs together, unable to look Fairy Godmother in the eyes and instead, resting her eyesight on the wooden door behind the fairy. Fairy Godmother didn't seem to mind though as she had seen Evie and Carlos do the same thing when they first arrived- Jay and Mal being the only two who would look anyone in the eye but it was always in a challenging way, threatening them if the person was stupid enough to hurt their siblings in any way.

"You're welcome" Fairy Godmother replied as she nodded in a silent goodbye before walking past her daughter and towards the main deck of the boat where everyone would be waiting for her, giving her daughter a reassuring smile as she passed the slightly confused girl. Jane shook her head and looked back into the room once her mother had walked down the hall, smiling at Uma as the teal-haired girl stood in the centre of the room, looking at Jane like she didn't know what to do next.

"Come on. Mal's becoming the official Lady Of The Court and we have to be there. She was slightly freaking out when she saw that you had vanished somewhere" Jane chuckled while her and Uma shared a genuine smile as the two girls walked quickly down the dimly light hallway. Uma nodded in understanding as she and Jane quickly walked down the hallway, admit to not miss Mal becoming an official Lady Of The Court, while Uma noticed the glowing sun had gone down and the sky had turned a rainbow of pinks, blues and oranges as the sun kissed the horizon lightly like a lover would kiss their true love in some of the romance book's that filled the libraries in Auradon Prep that Uma had tried to read over the couple of days she had been in Auradon.

After racing down the hallway and down the blue and gold lined stairs at the front of the boat, Jane and Uma rushed towards their group that were stood off to the side with Ben, Queen Belle and King Adam as the group watched in slight awe as Fairy Godmother and Mal stood at the bottom of the back stairs. Harry smiled when he saw Uma and took her hand in his, kissing the top of Uma's head lightly as they watched Fairy Godmother make Mal Lady Of The Court.

"Mal Bertha" Fairy Godmother started which made Mal glare at Ben from the corner of her eyes as the young king tried to contain his giggles at the glare. As Fairy Godmother continued to list all the responsibilities of becoming Lady Of The Court, Melody quickly moved to stand next to Uma, leaning in towards the Isle princess to whisper something in her ear.

"My mother says she just saw Ursula. At the bridge with another man," Melody whispered making Uma lick her lips at the sudden dryness as her throat seemed to tighten at the sudden realisation that her plan was about to be put in action. "The man is in like a cloak and tall, mother says. What do you want to do?" Melody continued.

Uma thought about who the man could be but only one person came to mind. Fynn was the eldest son of Flotsam, one of Ursula's most loyal henchmen, and one of the strongest out of all of his siblings. Although his sanity was long gone, Fynn was still loyal to the sea-witch and promised to never fail her- unlike his father and old counterparts- doing everything in his power to make sure that Ursula was on the throne of Auradon with him by her side. Uma froze as the name brought back haunting memories of broken hearts and tear-filled nights from her past that she begged her brain to forget and let her move on but the nagging nightmare's still plagued her as she gripped onto Harry's hand for support.

"What's wrong, love?" Harry asked quietly as he looked down at his date, a gleam of concern shining in his ocean-blue eyes. Uma shook her head lightly and nodded reassuringly as she smiled up at her boyfriend while releasing his hand. Harry smiled back before wrapping his arm around Uma's waist and pulling her closer, kissing the top of her head before returning his attention to the Fairy Godmother and Mal as the older fairy continued to explain the requirements of being Lady Of The Court.

"Uma, my mother says that Ursula look's angry. What should we do?" Melody asked in a worried tone as Uma breathed in deeply. "Uma, my mother says she is just stood there. Waiting for you to take down the barrier. What should we do? This wasn't part of the plan"

"The moment Mal becomes Lady Of The Court, I want you to take Dizzy and look after her while everything goes down. Take her to one the safest rooms without windows and make sure she is okay. I wouldn't let Dizzy be hurt because of my mother" Uma ordered as she looked towards a smiling Dizzy who was stood next to Evie, holding hands with the teenager as small tears gathered in the corner of Evie's chocolate brown eyes. "Where is the fake trident?" Uma asked.

"Behind the wall, up there" Melody responded, pointing towards the large object that was covered with a green blanket. Uma presumed it was Ben's gift towards Mal after she became the official Lady Of The Court and she smiled sadly at the thought of her mother ruining that all because she decided that today was the day she was going to destroy Auradon. Uma signed in annoyance at the thought of her mother ruining everything but stopped when she saw Melody's concerned glance as the two looked towards Mal's smiling face as Fairy Godmother continued talking. "Are you sure we should do this?" Melody asked quietly.

"Do you, Mal Bertha of the Isle, take all the responsibilities of becoming this courts Lady Of The Court and promise to care and look after this kingdom with all of your power?" Fairy Godmother asked as she smiled sweetly at the teenager in front of her. Mal smiled and nodded as Uma copied her actions.

"I do" Mal answered as Fairy Godmother monitored for the young girl to kneel. Mal signed deeply and bent down, sitting with both of her legs folded under her and resting her conjoined hands in her lap as she looked towards the ground while Fairy Godmother moved to gently take the wand from Queen Belle's extended hands. Queen Belle smiled warmly as Fairy Godmother curtsied at the former queen before taking the wand out of Queen Belle's hands and turning towards Mal who was breathing in deeply.

"I do" Uma answered Melody as she watched Fairy Godmother raise the wand above Mal's shoulders, gently tapping each shoulder with her wand before standing back slightly. Evie smiled as she wiped away some of the tears that had started to form in the corner of her eyes, her smile never faltering as she watched Mal look up at Fairy Godmother with a large smile playing at the ends of her lips.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I now give you our new Lady Of The Court, Mal Bertha" Fairy Godmother exclaimed as Mal carefully stood up and turned around, smiling when she saw all the boat bow or curtsy to their new Lady Of The Court. Mal smiled as she locked eyes with Ben who walked over to her side and bowed, smiling when Mal quickly curtsied, before taking his hand in hers and breathed a sigh of relief as she looked into Ben's hazel-green eyes that sparkled with pride.

"Congratulations, Lady Mal" Ben chuckled making Mal smile at him, her cheeks rising to show her dimples and her eyes sparkling with happiness and love while Ben breathed in a sigh of relief that Mal was now as happy as ever. Mal signed as she ran her hand up and down Ben's arm while Ben wrapped his arms around Mal's waist, gently bringing her closer as she smiled up at him. "You happy?" Ben asked as Mal playfully thought about it.

"I have never been happier" Mal replied as she brushed her nose against Ben's who smiled and nodded, his lips gently brushing against Mal's while she looked into Ben's eyes, still a little bit shorter than the young king despite her heels. "I love you so, so, incredibly much. Thank you for tonight" Mal thanked

"Hey guys" Mal greeted as she looked behind Ben and saw all of her friends, smiling as they all made their way over to Mal and Ben. Ben unwrapped his arms from around Mal and moved to stand next to her, letting his girlfriend kneel down so Dizzy could rush into the teens awaiting arms. Dizzy wrapped her arms around Mal as the two girls hugged, with Mal smiling at her friends over Dizzy's shoulder.

"Congratulations," The group of friends called out in union, making Mal smile. Evie, Uma, Melody, Lonnie and Jane hugged their friend, congratulating her on their own, before moving to stand to the side next to the boys who were talking to Ben. Jay, Carlos, Gil, Harry and Ben wrapped their arms around their significant date's waist as they talked in a small group- with Melody stood next to Dizzy and Uma- in the corner of the boat, allowing the rest of the party to dance on the main deck as the DJ played an upbeat song.

After a minute of talking, Uma quickly excused herself from the conversation and moved out of Harry's arms, smiling at him reassuringly when she felt a gentle hand wrap itself around her arms. "I will be fine, my love" Uma ensured as she gently caressed Harry's cheek, smiling at him before quickly turning and walking away to find Fairy Godmother. Fairy Godmother smiled at the young girl, as she talked to Queen Belle and King Adam about Mal becoming Lady Of The Court when Uma walked up to her. Uma curtsied at the former king and queen as she smiled at them, "Hello, your majesties. I was wondering if I could talk to Fairy Godmother for a second?" Uma asked as she looked between the three adults for a response.

"Of course" Queen Belle answered as she smiled warmly at Uma. Fairy Godmother curtsied to the royal couple before she and Uma walked over to the side of the boat where no one would be able to hear them. Uma smiled as she leant against the rail of the boat, smiling at the outline of the Isle against the yellowing sky that made the barrier shine brightly in the lowering sunlight.

"What's wrong, dear?" Fairy Godmother's voice broke Uma out of her trance as she looked to her left to see Fairy Godmother standing in front of the wooden barrier of the ship, the wand in her hand's as she twisted it around two of her fingers. Uma breathed in deeply as she looked back at Melody and her friends who were busy chatting about the latest Tourney game and teasing each other about who would be the next boy to serenade their girlfriend at the game, which caused a couple of giggles to erupt from the girl's lips at the boy's eagerness to sing for their girlfriends.

"My mother wants to come over to Auradon, now. Like right this minute" Uma whispered to the older fairy who's smile faded at the concept of bringing over the sea-witch, from the Isle to Auradon, where she could do anything to anyone with the power that was taken away from her when she was transferred to the Isle Of The Lost. "I need to bring her over so she is safe and maybe we can turn her into something less... deadly so she doesn't have to go back to the Isle" Uma suggested which made Fairy Godmother nod in agreement.

"I agree. What use is doing this if Ursula is just going to go back to the Isle where she could hurt people? If you go tell your friends then by the time they are safe, Ursula would be here" Fairy Godmother whispered as Uma nodded, "But be careful dear one. Make sure you know what you're doing" Fairy Godmother added before Uma nodded in understanding and rushed towards her friends who all smiled once they saw the daughter of Ursula.

"Melody, it's time. Get Dizzy safe, please" Uma asked before anyone could talk. Melody nodded as she turned towards Dizzy who was confused -like everyone else- and tightened her grip on Evie's hand who was looking at Uma questioningly. Uma breathed in deeply before walking over to Dizzy, bending down to be eye-level with the young girl as she gripped Evie's hand tighter, "Diz, something dangerous is going to happen and I need you to be the big, strong girl Evie taught you to be and listen to me when I say that you need to go with Princess Melody. For safety" Uma begged as she nodded at the little girl.

"Uma, what's going on?" Evie asked as the group shared worried glances. Uma kept her eye's on Dizzy who nodded and slowly slid her hand out of Evie's grip, taking Melody's hand before the two girls quickly ran to the other end of the boat and climbed the stairs. Melody looked back at the group as they reached the top of the stairs and saw Uma nod at her in reassurance before she slipped behind the separating wall and ran down the corridor to find the safest room for Dizzy to stay in.

"It's my mother" Uma answered as she stood up properly, looking at her friends who still had shocked looks on their faces as they all glanced at each other, "She's coming to Auradon and we have to defeat her. I don't want to hurt anyone but she threatened Pearl and Oceana so I had to do what she says" Uma quickly adds.

"She threatened Pearl and Oceana!" Mal exclaimed as she turned towards Uma, her eyes glowing a dark green at the prospect of the two girls who she counted as her family being hurt by the sea-witch- _even if they were family_ Mal thought protectively. "Are they okay? Are you okay?" Mal asked as she and Evie rushed to Uma's side. Uma nodded at the questions and started to explain her problem; informing them about the orders she had to follow from her mother and the consequences of not doing those actions while also telling them that Fynn would also be coming to Auradon- which made Harry, Jay and Carlos freeze and turn red with anger as they remembered the days where Uma shoved everyone away and turned cold-hearted when she found out what Fynn had done to her. After she was done explaining the situation, Uma looked at her friend group nervously, wondering what their reaction was going to be as they all glanced at each other worriedly.

"Okay here's the plan" Evie decided as she put on a brave face- inside she was shaking with the possibility of failing and making Ursula go back to the Isle where Pearl and Oceana could be hurt by their mother. "Harry, Jay and Carlos can fight Flynn while Ben and Doug get everyone to safety and me, Mal and Uma deal with Ursula. Ben take everyone and make sure they are safe when Ursula get's here but until then, we act normal" Evie ordered, earning collective nods from all the group, "Jane and Lonnie" Evie called out making the two girls turn to look at her questioningly, wondering how they could help against a sea-witch and sidekick from The Isle Of The Lost. "Lonnie I need you to fight Fynn. Chances are that he has some form of a plan as he knows he will be fighting Jay, Carlos, and Harry but he has rules and one of those is that he doesn't fight girls. I need you to use that and fight him if the boys go down, which they probably will"

"Hey!" The boys whined which made the girls smile and laugh at their boyfriend's actions. Evie smile before continuing with her plan.

"Okay, so Lonnie you fight Flynn if and when the boys need help" Evie ordered which made Lonnie smirk as she cracked her knuckled, smiling innocently up at Jay as he kissed her cheek, pride shining in his eyes as he looked at the fierce warrior he fell in lov- he likes. Jay wasn't quite ready for the 'L' word yet. "Okay and Jane. I need you to use your magic to create a dome around us. This fight can't get out of hand" Evie finished as Jane nodded in understanding and agreement. Mal and Uma shared an impressed glance as they smirked at Evie who was blushing when she noticed the proud look in the boy's eyes.

"Okay well, you heard the girl" Mal giggled as Doug wrapped his arms around Evie lovingly before kissing her on her bright red cheek. "Let's get this sea-witch" Mal exclaimed as she looked at all the VK's with a wicked smile playing at the corner of her lips.

"Fairy Godmother" Evie quickly greeted when she saw the middle-aged fairy walking towards the group of teens quickly. Fairy Godmother smiled warmly at the teenagers, her smile brightening when she noticed that Carlos had an arm wrapped around Jane's waist as she curved into his body, a hand resting on his chest as she leant her head on his shoulder. The teenagers nodded their heads out of respect for the older fairy as they moved to be in a half circle, allowing the fairy to see all of her fearless students that were willing to put a stop to Ursula's evil deeds once and for all.

"Hello, children" Fairy Godmother replied warmly as she looked at all the brave facade's the teenagers were putting up- especially Uma. Fairy Godmother could never understand what Uma was going through- having never had a sister, let alone two, that were being threatened by their evil mother who had unlimited powers in Auradon- but she tried to understand what it was like to have the weight of two loved ones and an entire Island of people on her shoulders while also having to face the women that made her life a living hell that she could not escape, all at the same time.

"Ursula should be here at any moment now" Fairy Godmother continued as she witnessed the way Uma's face grew hard and determined at the mere mention of her mother's name. "She just needs to use her magic. I want you, children, to be careful when facing Ursula. I have never met the sea-witch but I presume she is crafty so work with the information you have and defeat her"

"We will defeat _Ursula_ " Uma spat her mother's name out like it was acid, ready to burn her tongue if it stayed on her tongue any longer then it had to. "Even if it kill's me" Uma muttered under her breath as she felt Harry tighten his arms around Uma's waist, pulling her closer to his chest as the pirate kissed her cheek reassuringly.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" A deep, menacing voice asked mockingly making everyone on the boat turn around and gasp in shock at the monstrous creature in front of them, floating in the water. Uma glared at the six-legged creature as it smirked at the boat, it's tentacles splashing the water as they moved and creating small puddles at the edge of the boat where the water overflood onto the hardwood. Her usually moody features formed a large grin as her red lips pursed together upon seeing Uma, who had moved to the front of her friends as she glared at the creature. The older sea-witches hair was white and blew softly in the high wind as the wind began to grow in force. "Hello, darling" the sea-witch greeted, menace and anger dripping from her voice as she spoke. Uma stepped forward, only to feel Harry's hand grip her wrist protectively to try and pull her away from the sea-witches gaze but Uma kept her feet planted in her place and ripped her arm away from his grip, shaking her head at her First Mate before looking back at the creature in the water.

"Hello, _mother._ Long time no see _"_


	24. Losing a friend

Ursula cackled loudly as she looked down at her daughter, who was stood confidently at the edge of the boat as she glared at her mother. People on the boat rushed to the further side of the boat, watching -as they gripped onto each other- Uma breath in deeply and smirk at her mother. Audrey, who had been catching up with some of her friends who lived in faraway regens of Auradon while the rest of her friends were making the plan to deaf Ursula, quickly rushed over to Gil, wrapping her arms around him as she shook in fear- having never seen the sea-witch before apart from the bedtime storied her mother or grandmother used to read her when she was younger. Gil breathed in a sigh of relief as he looked down at Audrey, his lips creating a fine line while he wrapped an arm around Audrey and glared at the sea-witch who was floating in the sea next to the boat.

"The same could be said about me and you, dear" A dark voice chuckled which made the blood rush out of Uma's face as she looked towards the other side of the boat where a pair of menacing dark blue eyes were staring at her. Harry growled lowly as he moved closer to Uma, wishing he had his hook, so he could harm the boy who caused Uma so much pain before he became her boyfriend. The boy smirked at the anger that shined in Harry's eyes as he moved down the stairs, a hand in his black trouser pocket while the other ran through his dark green hair that covered his golden eye, leaving the pale white eye exposed to the court as they stepped away from the new visitor. Uma had to admit the boy had grown-up as his muscles tensed and relaxed through the dark blue top he was wearing that showed of his arms in the diming light offered by the disappearing sunlight.

"I must say, Uma, you did a very good job at tricking your friends" Ursula chuckled, raising her eyebrows at Uma as she opened her mouth to protest until she remembered what exactly her mother commanded her to do. Uma's eyes began to fill with tears as she nodded in agreement, slowly stepping away from Harry and smiling at her mother.

"Yea" Uma agreed, her voice emotionless as she turned to face her friends, all of whom had confused or hurt looks in their eyes as they watched Uma's face morph into one of confidence and pain as she raised her head up high. "They were easy to manipulate. Just like you said they would be, mother"

"That's my girl. Now, where's the trident?" Ursula asked as Uma signed, looking away from her friends hurt faces as she raised her hand in the air and towards the present Ben was going to give Mal and casting a spell, making green sparks erupt from her hand and move towards the picture before going behind it and wrapping around the trident, moving It so everyone of the boat could see it float in mid-air towards Uma.

"Uma" a voice called out as blue sparks shot towards the trident and stopped in moving towards Uma and instead, moved towards Evie who had moved to be a couple of steps away from Uma, staring at the sea-witches daughter pleadingly as she tried to move the trident closer to herself. "You don't have to do this. We can defeat your mother and save Auradon. I refuse to believe that everything that has happened here, has been a lie. That you faked everything. I know you, Uma. I saw the fear in your eyes when Harry was dying, the same fear you are having now and when you saw Fynn. The fear of losing everyone in your life because of one mistake. You don't have to be afraid of losing us because we aren't going anywhere" Evie added as she stepped closer to Uma who pulled at the trident more, shaking her head at Evie's words.

She didn't want to betray her friends. She knew that by siding with her mother her friends would hate her –even if she was faking it- and could send her to the Isle of The Lost again where she couldn't see them again. But the nagging voice in Uma's head reminding her of what happened to Harry when she failed to meet her mother's demands and she would rather die than let that happen to any of her friends or Auradon. Uma was torn between defying her mother and making her angry where anyone could be hurt as they tried to defeat her or go along with the plan in her head and no one gets hurt. After thinking things through, Uma knew the answer and shot her hand out further, using more of her power to bring the trident closer to her as she felt Flynn step closer to her- which made a shiver run down her spin as she ignored the angry and hurt look in Harry's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Evie. But put your trust in someone else" Uma signed as she quickly reached out and graded the trident, wrapping her fingers around the large staff and smiling sadly as she looked at her mother's proud face. "Here you go, mother" Uma signed as she used her magic to float the trident up to her mother who graded in and cackled evilly, twiddling the pointed end of spears in her hand as she bit her lip in excitement.

Ursula raised the trident into the air and smirked, pointing the trident towards the sky as dark clouds surrounded Ursula as the trident glowed, just like it did when Ursula first got the trident and faught against Queen Ariel and King Eric. Uma breathed in deeply as she concentrated on the trident, using her magic to create everything that the 'trident' was doing because it was fake instead of the real thing- which was still locked up securely in the museum near Auradon Prep. Ursula giggled evilly as she extended her arms, her frame growing and growing as the waves thrashed at the side of the royal boat, rocking it back and forth as the clouds danced around the top of Ursula's head. Uma breathed in deeply as she felt herself weaken because of the amount of power she was using- having never used this much of her power before.

Evie and Mal shared a worried look shared a worried look as they both watched Ursula grow in almost double the size and Uma grow weaker. Mal nodded at Evie, rushing forward and grabbing Uma by the arm, supporting her as Evie moved away from everyone and breathed in deeply, looking at her palms as she felt surges of power rush towards them. "Hey, calm down. Stop using your magic and rest. We got Ursula" Mal whispered as Uma shook her head in disagreement, staring at the trident as her mother continued to grow and the trident glowed brightly.

"No, I got this. You do whatever you have to do, and I will handle my mother" Uma muttered back determinedly as her breathing quickened. Mal looked at Harry, Gil, Jay and Carlos and silently pleaded at them, feeling the cold stare from Flynn as he watched Uma and Mal stand near the railing.

"Now, all the sea will belong to me!" Ursula proclaimed after she stopped growing, being around the same size she was when she faught Queen Ariel and King Eric twenty-five or so years ago. Uma breathed in a sign of relief when she closed her eyes, stopping the flow of magic coming from her eyes and allowing her to have a break as unconsciously she leaned on Mal, but thankfully Ursula didn't see as she cackled evilly.

"Mal, get everyone away and to a safe place. Please, I'm sorry for doing this to you and everyone else but let me do this. I have to defeat my mother" Uma pleaded, looking at Mal as the purple-haired teen shook her head no and looked over Uma's shoulder to see Flynn smiling when he noticed how weak Uma was. Mal's face turned red with anger as she saw Uma's ex-boyfriend grin and step closer to Uma, placing his hand on the girls shoulder which pushed Mal over the edge as she glared at Flynn more forcefully, her eyes turning a dark green.

"Take your hands off of my sister" Mal hissed, her eyes turning a shade darker when Flynn didn't move and instead laughed at Mal's attempts to scare him. Flynn's laughter died down when Harry, Jay and Carlos moved towards Mal and glared at Flynn, with Harry grabbing Flynn's wrist and shoving him off of Uma as she stood frozen on her spot- unable to move as Flynn's touch brought back memories full of hurt and betrayal. Ben moved towards the crowd, that had gathered at the end of the boat, and started to usher people up the stairs secretly while Ursula was busy watching her daughter and her friends. Doug moved towards Evie, noticing the concerned look in Evie's eyes as she started at her palms- trying to calm down her raising nerves in hopes of controlling her magic- and stepped in front of her so Evie couldn't see her friends fighting while Doug ran his hands up and down Evie's arms.

"Back away!" Harry growled, his voice low and dangerous. Flynn took his hand off of Uma's shoulder which made Mal quickly pull the slightly disorientated daughter of Ursula away from the son of Flotsam and pulling Uma behind her, before taking out a medium-sized samurai sword that was tucked into his belt. Flynn grinned as he twisted the sword left and right, letting the limited light shine of the clean metal, when he realised that Jay, Carlos and Harry didn't have swords or any way to protect them.

"Beware Forsware bring them these swords in a flare" Mal spelled, shooting a line of green sparks towards the three boys before turning to Lonnie who was with Jane as the two girls kept their eyes on Ursula who was watching her daughter in anger as she displayed her weakness in front of her friends like she trusted them with her life. Lonnie looked up from her friends when she felt her fingers tighten around a sword handle that led to a golden sword where the blade shined with a layer of magic. Lonnie locked eyes with Jay, as she noticed that all the boy's had swords in their hands, before she left Jane's side and rushed towards her date, linking hands with him as she glared at Flynn who bite the inside of his cheek when he noticed that he would have to fight a girl.

Ursula finally screamed in frustration as she looked down at her daughter, a wicked glint in her eyes as she noticed Evie was still a little shocked by the electric feeling in her palms. Ursula used this to her advantages and lifted one of her large tentacles before quickly wrapping it around Evie's waist and dragging her towards the edge of the boat as Evie tried to grab onto Doug's hand and pull herself away from Ursula's grip. "Mal! Uma! Help!" Evie shouted as she was dragged away from Doug and instead into the railing which she grabbed and dug her feet into the floor in hopes of that being enough to save herself from going over the edge.

"Evie!" both the girls yelled as Mal and Uma turned around and began to run towards Evie who looked distressed as her grip loosened on the railing while Ursula's tugged on her stomach, stopping her air supply. Mal quickly looked at her best friend, scared to use her magic in case she hit Evie, before she watched Ursula lift her tentacle up in the air and loosen her grip on Evie, allowing her to breath as the sea-witch brought Evie closer to her. Mal breathed in deeply as she stepped back, closing her eyes as she felt electricity run across her body like a thousand tiny feet until she lifted her head up and felt green smoke wrap around her body. Uma watched in amazement as the green smoke circled Mal's whole body before dropping towards the floor, leaving a large purple dragon in Mal's place as it screeched and flew up into the air, levitating in front of Ursula. Uma smirked as she understood what Mal was planning before she tapped her sea-shell and breathed in deeply, copying Mal before she jumped into the uncalm water below. Uma closed her eyes as she sunk lower and lower into the water but instead of feeling the need to breath or panic, she felt power surge through her body as she rose out of the water with a large splash- having transformed into a half-octopus, half-human creature similar to Ursula who still had to look down at her daughter but Uma now came up to her mother's shoulder which made her smirk happily.

"Let her go, mother" Uma spoke calmly as her tentacles moved in the water. Uma looked up to see Mal was hovering above her, her scaled, purple wings moving up and down violently as she glared at Ursula who was still holding Evie. A look of terror stretched across Evie's features as she felt Ursula's grip tighten around her waist- not enough to block her air supply but enough to make it difficult to breath.

"Why do you betray us? You are no Villain and no child of mine!" Ursula shouted as she glared at Uma. It was a surprise to Uma, but she felt a pang of hurt rise in her chest at her mother's words. Even through Ursula had never been a good mother or role model for Uma or her sisters, Uma never once disowned her or her heritage because she believed that she would make her mother proud- as a villain or hero Uma wasn't quite sure yet- and she was proud to be Ursula's daughter. It showed people that even if your parents were evil, you don't have to follow in their footsteps. In that moment however, Uma felt like she didn't need or want her mother in her life- especially after all the abuse she casted onto herself, Oceana and Pearl- and so she thought that if Ursula didn't need her, then she didn't need her mother. Of course, she would never say she wasn't Ursula's daughter to anyone who asked, but she didn't have to have a relationship with the sea-witch.

"And you are no mother of mine" Uma shouted back, shocking her mother but made Mal and Evie smile at her- as they understood how hard it was to stand up against your own mother or anyone close to her. "A mother is caring, loving and gentle and you are none of those things! I am no villain but I am not a hero either. I am Uma, sister of Oceana and Pearl and Princess of The Isle and you are nothing but the women who gave birth to me" Uma announced proudly as she glared up at Ursula. "Now give me back my friend!" Uma commanded which made Mal smile as she looked back at Ursula.

"You want her. Catch" Ursula responded as she let go of Evie, causing the blue-haired teen to scream as she fell towards the angry waves of the ocean. Mal roared as she watched her best friend break the ocean's surface and continue to sink further into the ocean as Ursula cackled loudly. Mal's head shot up and she opened her mouth, sending a line of green flames towards Ursula who easily blocked the throw with a wall of water as she used her tentacles to lift up the water- unknowingly making Evie sink further into the ocean as Mal continued to throw fire towards Ursula in a rage of fear and determination- the fear that Evie was dead and Ursula had caused it. Uma, despite the urge to fight Ursula, dived under the water and tried to find Evie, looking left and right until she found a sinking light and a pair of glowing brown eyes that were sinking further and further away from the surface of the ocean. Uma swam down and towards Evie, shook covering her once worried-filled features when she noticed tiny air-bubbles leaving Evie's parted lips as she brought her hands up to her face, her glowing palms sparkling in the water as she backed away from Uma.

Evie shook her head at Uma, almost commanding Uma to swim away in case she got hurt, but Uma ignored her best friend and moved a tentacle closer to Evie, wrapping it gently around Evie's waist as she smiled at her reassuringly. Evie stayed focused on her magic as she felt a gentle tug of her waist that was pulling her towards the surface of the water as Uma moved upwards. Evie felt her magic overflow when she looked up, through the water, and noticed Mal was fighting Ursula as chaos broke out on the Cotillion boat as Harry, Jay, Carlos and Lonnie faught Flynn while Jane, Doug and Ben worked to protect the other people on the boat. Power shot out of Evie's palms and surrounded her- small blue sparkles that resembled pixies surrounded her body and engulfed her- as Uma stopped moving and watched in amazement as Evie's body was surrounded with blue sparks. Evie bit her lip as she felt her body change form from her Cotillion dress and instead change into a whole new outfit as she shot out of the water- her hair completely dry as her palms glowed with blue and gold fireballs as they levitated just above her palms. Uma resurfaced from under the water, smiling when she noticed that Evie was floating just next to Mal as she smirked at Ursula's shocked face.

The blue-haired teen looked down at her outfit and gasped- a smile forming on her lips as she noticed every detail of the clothes. Her new outfit was a long blue dress that stopped around her knees and had a thin black belt wrapped around her waist. The pastel blue coloured dress was covered with a lace design that made a vary of different sixed roses with vines covered in small thorns connecting some of them- letting others stand out in the lace design. Her Isle-inspired, fingerless cloves covered her palms and had small diamonds on the knuckles that matched her blue, heeled-boats with a black heel that then faded into blue for the front part of the shoe. A dark blue leather jacket covered the heart-neckline of the dress and Evie's bare-arms which the blue-haired teen was thankful for as the wind picked up in speed as Ursula's thrashed her tentacles in the water to try and fight of Mal who was still attacking with her fire-breath. Evie's hair had changed from her 'natural' blue to her birth-hair colour which meant that her dark blue hair had changed to light blue hair at the top of her head that faded into a light red colouring. Evie's didn't really care what her hair looked like now –a thought that made the inside of her smile as she realized that her mother's voice no longer roared in her mind and instead was a small whisper in the back of her brain- and instead focused on the fight in front of her as Ursula tried to shake the shocked look off of her face.

Evie smirked as she looked down at her hands, noticing that the fire-balls in her hands still hadn't died and they were still glowing fiercely in her hands. Evie's fingers curled in-wards and the fire moved up as the blue-haired teen concentrated on sending the fireball towards Ursula. Evie's hand shot up and towards Ursula, causing the fireball to shoot towards Ursula quickly at hit her hand. Ursula screamed in frustration at the burning feeling on her hand but still gripped the trident tightly- not letting go of the trident at any costs. "Let it go mother!" Uma shouted as she too raised her tentacles in an attacking stance. "It's three against one" Uma continued as she looked up at her two best friends as they both smiled at her words- not taking their narrowed eyes off of Ursula as she cackled.

"You think three, little girls could defeat me! Me?" Ursula screamed as she held up the trident in victory. Evie smirked as she created a fireball, flying further into the air –despite the protests from Uma and Mal- until she was eye-level with Ursula who laughed at Evie's attempt to be intimidating as she played with the fireball in her palm.

"I am not little" Evie smirked as she threw the fireball at Ursula. But instead of hitting Ursula in the face of heart like Uma and Mal predicted, Evie made the fireball grow in size before she amid it at the fake trident. Ursula screamed in annoyance before she wacked Evie out of the sky and towards the boat, where Lonnie, Jay, Carlos and Harry were still fighting ruthlessly with Flynn as they trapped him in a corner. Mal and Uma screamed Evie's name but the blue-haired teen didn't use any of her magic as she fell towards the boat's deck, her eyes closed as Ursula's hit had knocked Evie out of consciousness. Mal's eyes turned bright green as she flew towards the boat, her eyes locked with Evie's back as the blue-haired princess curled into a ball on the beck- holding her head as it bled bright red blood. Mal quickly transformed into her normal self as she landed on the boat's beck, loud sobs escaping her lips as she sat in front of Evie's unconscious state and moved her blooded head into her lap, her dress creating a large circle of toll around the two girls as Mal tried to get Evie to wake up. Jay and Carlos stopped fighting Flynn and quickly rushed towards Evie and Mal as Lonnie and Harry quickly disarmed Flynn.

Uma quickly turned to her mother and glared at the happy smirk on Ursula's lips at the sight of the blood slowly coming out of Evie's head as she stirred in Mal's lap- her hand clasped around Jay and Carlos's as the boy's tried to get her to wake up. Uma's face turned red with anger as she glared at her mother, her hands rising out of the water as she shot fireball and sparks of magic towards her mother in a fury of anger and hurt. Ursula tried to block the attack's but her attempts failed as Uma became more enraged when she looked toward Evie and noticed that her eyes were half open and half closed. Uma shot flame after flame in anger and hate as she amid for all of her mother, not stopping until she heard the scream of anger from her mother when a flame caught the trident. Ursula quickly threw the trident into the water when she realized that it was fake and instead focused on her daughter who had swam closer to the boat in hopes of getting onto the boat and making sure Evie was okay.

"Nothing can defeat me! Nothing!" Ursula screamed as she moved closer to Uma as the sea-witches daughter panicked, having ran out of idea's to defeat her mother. Think, think, think Uma repeated as she looked all around her but the cries and pleas from Mal, Jay, Carlos and Harry for Evie to wake up and respond to them filled her brain along with the crashes of the waves and the distant footsteps of worried people as Ben, Fairy Godmother and Jane rushed down the stairs and towards Evie with the former queen and king on their trail joined the chaos inside Uma's brain. Uma looked around until she saw her necklace glowing around her neck.

"Really?" Uma asked sarcastically as she held her necklace in her hand, ripping it from her neck as she lifted it into her mother's view. Ursula's smile faded as she realized that Uma was holding her necklace- one of the most powerful objects in the magical word- that also had similar powers to Maleficent's staff, with the ability to force people to change into their worst nightmare if the shell was broken. The shell would release a force of dark magic that would flow towards the person Uma was thinking of considering Uma was holding the necklace and of course, Uma knew this and was going to use it to her advantage.

"One little squeeze of my hand and you are a slug" Uma threatened as she pressed on the shell with a little force, causing her mother to frown as she watched her daughter carefully. "Why should I let you be this if all you are going to do is hurt the people I love?" Uma asked as she glared at her mother, "You hurt Evie, Mal, Oceana and me. Me! Your own daughter casted away from your love because you were too evil to love your own daughter. You made Flynn break my heart because you thought I was too weak and wanted to test me. You hurt Harry. You then got Flynn to attack Mal on the Isle just because you knew it would kill me to lose her!" Uma breathed in to regain her calmness as quickly wiped away the small tears that started to form in her eyes as she finally admitted everything her mother had done wrong.

"You're not strong enough to hurt your own mother. You turned soft the minute you set foot in Auradon. Turn me into a slug, and you are evil. Just like me!" Ursula cackled as her confidence came back. She honestly didn't believe that Uma would turn her into a slug- her own mother- because she was in Auradon, the place of good where no one stopped smiling and everyone lived in a 'happily ever after'. "You will be a villain if you turn me into a slug!" Ursula laughed which made Uma smirk.

"Yea, I am a villain. The villain you root for in the story" Uma smirked before she smashed the shell in her hand making Ursula scream as she lunged for the small pieces of shell that were now resting in Uma's hand. Blue and gold sparks flew out of the broken pieces of shell and flew towards Ursula as she sea-witch tried to swat them away, waving her tentacles in the air as the blue sparks surrounded her like a cage of magic, making her un-seeable to Uma who was holding her breath- hoping that the shell worked and defeated Ursula. The blue and gold swirls mixed together to make a cyan wall while it grew taller and taller, reaching the glowing stars up above as she watched Uma bit her lip in anticipation for the results. The wall suddenly broke, fall quickly towards the water and disappearing into fin air as Uma looked around for her mother.

Uma signed, looking down, once she saw that nothing was floating in the water, and almost gasping when she saw that her necklace had repaired itself and inside was a small slug, no larger than a penny which made Uma sign loudly in disappointment. Uma had hoped that her mother had love in her heart –of course she had a love for evil which led her to transform into a slug no larger than a penny- and that she was just faking her hatred towards her three daughters. Even Maleficent had more love in her heart then Ursula did, but Uma did suspect that Maleficent had a small amount of faith in Mal's ability to rule the world and be evil along-side herself so Uma suspected that translated to Maleficent loving Mal more than Ursula loved Uma.

Ursula, now in slug-form, was a light purple and had yellow spikes poking out of the top which Uma guessed was supposed to represent her mean and defensive nature- something that made Uma laugh as she thought more about it. To dark blue eyes glared at Uma as she smirked at the sea-slug, forgetting about everything else that was going on and instead focusing on her no tiny mother. "Uma! Get here, now!" Uma heard a voice shout from on the ship. Uma's head shot up at the sound of Mal's tear-filled voice, as she quickly spelled herself back into being a human- green magic lifting the daughter of Ursula out of the water and onto the boat as Uma's tentacles changed into her legs and long cotillion dress. Uma gasped as she rushed towards Mal and Evie, ignoring Ben, Harry, Gil, Jay and Carlos as they all kneeled next to Mal and Evie, silent tears in the boy's arms as they all looked at Evie's bleeding head from where she had hit the beck when fighting Ursula.

"No, no, no" Uma muttered as she quickly dropped next to Evie, her hand instantly grabbing Evie's as the girl smiled weakly at her friends. Evie's head was still in Mal's lap, soaking her purple, Cotillion dress was blood but Mal couldn't care right now as she looked at Fairy Godmother who was talking to Queen Belle and King Adam about what could be done to save Evie.

"Hay, there's the hero" Evie replied sleepily as she looked at Uma who already had tears in her eyes after looking up at Mal. Mal shook her head as she held her hand against Evie's head, trying to stop the blood coming from Evie's head. "Where's Diz?" Evie asked, her voice hoarse as she looked around her group of friends. Ben quickly got up and rushed to find Dizzy and Melody, tears in his eyes as he thought about how he couldn't help his girlfriend or the girl he considered a sister. Everything he relied on to help his friends out of difficult situations were useless- the privileges that came with being King of Auradon now seemed to be meaningless and the happy-go-lucky attitude Ben inherited from his mother seemed to darken as he looked at his parents saddened features.

"I'm sorry" Uma apologized as she looked at all her friends, all of whom had sad smiled on their faces as she looked at the daughter of Ursula in confusion. "If I hadn't fought my mother then we all would be dancing right and instead we here, watching as Evie..." Uma couldn't finish her sentence as Evie squeezed Uma's hand reassuringly, her other hand being held by Carlos as the youngest member of the friend-group cried, sinking into Jane's arms. Jane wrapped her arms around Carlos's torso, her tears soaking Carlos's top as she cried into his chest as he wrapped one arm around her waist to reassure- of what exactly, Jane had no idea of. Maybe it was so Jane could feel safe in Carlos's hold or maybe so Carlos knew that Jane wouldn't leave and was close by, Jane had no idea but she found it comforting whatever the reason.

"I'm f-fine" Evie argued as she tried to sit up, the pain in her head increasing massively. Mal quickly grabbed her best friend and gently pushed her back down, as Evie quietly protested- her energy already gone as she struggled to keep her eyes open and instead, focused on her friends, having already accepted the fate her friends were trying desperately to avoid.

"Evie!" a voice shouted from the top of the stairs making Uma's head shot up to see Dizzy running down the Cotillion boat stairs, with Melody rushing behind her as they quickly moved towards Evie and her friends. Dizzy moved to sit next to Uma, tears already forming in her eyes as she looked at Evie's large smile upon seeing Dizzy next to her. "Please don't leave me, Evie. You can't" Dizzy cried. Uma wrapped her arm around Dizzy as the young girl moved to sit on Uma's lap, her hand resting on Uma and Evie's conjoined hands as she wiped away her tears.

"I won't leave, princess" Evie promised, "I will always be there for you. All of you" Evie added as she looked at all her friends with a small smile. It pained Evie to know that she was mostly likely leaving her friends alone and she knows that nothing could help her now- as she refused to allow magic to save herself like her mother did whenever she got old and wanted to become 'The Fairest Of Them All' again. Evie didn't want to use her magic to prolong her life and if she had her way, she wouldn't use magic full stop- the only thing stopping her was the fear of hurting anyone if her magic got out of hand. No matter what, she knew that her friends were safe and happy and that's all that mattered to Evie, so it was easy for the blue-haired teen to accept her fate even if her friends were having a harder time doing so.

"Mom" Jane calls out, grabbing the attention of Queen Belle, King Adam and Fairy Godmother, all of whom rush towards the teenagers. Queen Belle moved to sit beside Mal, her hand resting on Mal's shoulder as the teenager leans her head against Queen Belle's hand, quite tears falling down her face. King Adam moved towards Ben –who had returned from finding Dizzy and was currently sat in between Mal and Harry as the pirate wiped his tears away upon seeing Evie's pale features morph into one of struggle as each breath became more labored- and rested his hand on Ben's shoulder reassuringly, smiling sadly at Mal as she sent a small smile towards the former king. Fairy Godmother moved beside Uma, who was still holding onto Dizzy and Evie's hand, as it was the only space around Evie where she could see Evie fully as the boy's all sat opposite Uma- figuring that it was best to let Uma have some space with her sister and one of her closest friends. "Please, mom, do something to help Evie. She can't die. Use your magic" Jane begged as she held onto Carlos's hand in a tight but reassuring grip.

"No!" Evie exclaimed before Fairy Godmother could respond to her daughter which made Mal and Uma look at Evie like she was crazy. To them, they would use whatever magic was possible to make sure that Evie survived and lived because Mal couldn't picture her life where she doesn't go to sleep to the soothing sound of Evie's sowing machine as the blue-haired princess sowed a new dress or blouse and Uma couldn't picture her life where she went to anyone other than Evie when things in the daughter of Ursula's life went wrong or not as expected. "I am not going to be like my m-mother" Evie added as she winced as the pain in her head increased, "I re-refuse to rely on magic when I don't ne-need it"

"Evie, you can't say a full sentence without wincing in pain. You are in pain so please, allow Fairy Godmother to use her magic" Uma begged as she looked down at Evie, silent tears in her eyes as she breathed in deeply.

"I will not be my mother" Evie argued back, "I am dying and there is nothing nobody is going to do about it so can we please just talk about anything else" Evie asked quietly.

"We're going to miss ya, Eve" Harry replied as he looked down at the girl he has grown to call his sister. "Promise me that everything is going to be okay. Please?" Harry asked which made Evie smile.

"Take care of Uma and make sure Mal doesn't go crazy and everything will be okay" Evie replied which made Mal chuckle through her tears. Evie breathed in deeply as her chest felt like it was closing, the sound of the waves crashing through her mind as her eyelids became heavy. The voices of her friends got drowned out by the throbbing pain in her head as Evie slowly blinked her eyes, trying to focus on her friends as she concentrated on her uneven breathing.

"Evie" Uma called out as she looked at her best friends closed eyes, "Evie!" Uma repeated louder, gaining all of her friend's attention as they looked down at the blue-haired beauty who's chocolate brown eyes were hidden behind their lids. Uma quickly checked her best friend's pulse to find that it had slowed and that the blood coming out of the wound on her head was seeping through Mal's fingers as the purple-haired teen tried to stop the bleeding. "No, no, no. Come on, Evie. Don't leave us, please, don't leave us" Uma begged, tears in her eyes as she felt Evie's already weak pulse weaken with every passing second.

Mal turned around in Queen Belle's arms and cried, large sobs ranking her body as Uma fell back in defeat and wrapped her arms around Dizzy's crying frame to comfort the younger girl. King Adam bowed his head as tears began to form in his eyes for the loss of the blue-haired princess that he had grown to think of as a daughter more than a VK or transfer student. Harry quickly moved to sit next to Uma, holding his girlfriend and Dizzy in his arms as silent tears made their way down his checks. Carlos's face was covered in tears as Jane placed her hand at the back of his head which made him break and place his head in her shoulder while Jane ran her fingers through Carlos's hair, not knowing what to say to ease the son of Cruella's pain. Lonnie wrapped her arms around Jay's waist and cried into his chest as he placed his chin on Lonnie's head, his face emotionless apart from the small tears that were falling down his checks and wrapped his own arms around Lonnie's shaking frame.

It was times like this that made Jay wish he wasn't the older big brother of the group. Out of all the group, Evie was the strongest when it came to her emotions and building up walls that protected her from the pain of answering intrusive questions about her welfare but that didn't mean Evie didn't care or ask about her family's welfare. Evie was the one in the group to put on a brave face and stand up for her friend's when they could not, no matter the reason and did everything to make sure Mal, Uma, Gil, Carlos, Harry and Jay were okay- as well as her new Auradon friends like Ben, Audrey, Lonnie, Jane and Doug. Now that Evie couldn't complete that task, it then fell on Jay as he is the big brother of the group.

Ben was looking down to his conjoined hands in range as he breathed in deeply, trying to control his breathing as he thought about how he couldn't save Evie. He remembered the morning when he promised Evie that none of her friends would be harmed in Auradon and that they wouldn't have to worry about anything. Evie had had a nightmare the night before where she and her friends were forced to leave Auradon after Ben's coronation –even through it was well over four months after the event- and she went to ask Ben to protect her friends. Evie practically begged Ben, that if her siblings ever did get in trouble, she was the one to take their punishment and would do it in a split second if the opportunity arose which made Ben smile at the time. Ben then promised that she and her friends were safe in Auradon and would never be hurt as it was the land of 'Happily Ever After's' and no one would think of hurting them because they were the supposed 'good guy's'.

It made Ben smile sadly as he remembered the look of relief on Evie's face when he told her that they were safe in Auradon. It was the same look a sister might get when they watch their younger sibling fall and they hold their breath to see if they would get up and walk or cry- and in this case, the look on Evie's face said that the younger sibling got up and did ten cartwheels just to prove they were alright. Evie was always like that with all her siblings, protecting them to the death –which she proved today- and making sure that they were okay, even at the cost of her own happiness.

Gil was stood next to Jay, his face emotionless like Jay's as he held onto Audrey while she cried. Audrey wrapped her arms around Gil's neck as she buried her head into Gil's neck, forgetting about her dress or makeup and instead focusing on the friend that she just lost. Gil wrapped his arms around Audrey's waist and pulled her closer, finding comfort in her touch as large tears welled up in his eyes. Melody was stood next to the couple, tears welling up in her eyes as she gently squeezed Doug's hand as the two stood frozen of the spot. Doug couldn't believe that his girlfriend, the girl he loved more than life itself, was dead. Tears flowed down his checks as he looked down at the girl he loved, the girl he spent countless lessons thinking about when he should have been studying, the girl he spent hours fantasizing over their future together and the girl he spent many nights picturing and hearing in his dreams.

"Ben" Queen Belle quietly called out, making Ben snap his eyes up to see his mother's caring brown eyes that were full of tears. "Hold your girlfriend, please" Queen Belle added making Ben nod as he opened his arms towards his girlfriend. Mal looked at Ben, her eyes glassed over with tears, before unwrapping her arms around Queen Belle and moving to sit in Ben's lap, with Ben's arm around her back and under the curve of her knee's as Mal hooked her arms around Ben's neck while she cried into his shoulder. Queen Belle slowly sat up and walked towards her husband, interlocking their hands together as they both walk off to the side to talk privately.

"I know this is hard for you. You saw Evie as the daughter you never had, the same with Mal" King Adam quickly spoke as they reached the corner of the Cotillion boat. Queen Belle leaned against the railing as she hugged herself, her nails digging into the skin of her arms as more tears fell from her chocolate brown eyes. King Adam placed his arms around his wife's waist as the two stood against the railing of the boat in silent thought.

"I want Mal, Carlos and Jay to move into the castle for a little bit a long with Dizzy, Harry, Gil and Uma" Queen Belle whispered as she looked up at her husband, "I saw the way Uma reacted to everything. She defended this kingdom and is still holding her head up high even though she is in unimaginable pain. Harry won't let Uma out of his sight for the next Zeus knows how long. Gil seems like a teenage verson of a kid, did you see the way he was dancing with Audrey and talking to her? There is so much hope in his eyes that has suddenly vanished because of this and I want to help" Queen Belle added.

"Okay. And so, they stay in the Castle. Mal wouldn't be able to stay in her dorm room and so wouldn't Uma or Dizzy from what Ben has told me about the current living conditions" King Adam replied to his wife who smiled sadly, "We are going to tell the press soon before they get suspicious because of the whole VK thing" King Adam signed.

"It infuriates me that we have to make a statement just because everyone would get suspicious because Evie was a VK. She was also a beautiful young lady with so much potential that was dashed away from one villain. She was amazing and changed for the better and yet" Queen Belle signed in frustration as she looked away from her husband and to her left where all the other teenagers were still sat.

"She was?" Queen Belle heard someone ask which made her turn her attention to Dizzy who was sat up in Uma's arms. Queen Belle signed and nodded moving towards all the teenagers who were looking at the queen questioningly, wondering what she was doing. Queen Belle sat beside Mal and Dizzy moved off of Uma's and instead sat next to the daughter of Ursula as Mal and Ben looked at Queen Belle confusingly.

"She was. Evie was very different to how any of you saw her" Queen Belle answered as she looked at all the teenagers, "Evie wasn't born with the personality we have the absolute privilege to meet and call family. She told me, when we were in the rose garden that you guys made her who she is"

"We did?" Mal asked as she looked at Queen Belle questioningly.

"Evie said that she got her strength from watching Mal fight all the bad things in life. She said that she got her kindness from Carlos because of how he treated all of his friends. Evie also said that Jay taught her to never give up on something just because someone says you can't do it. Ben taught her how to give people second chances. Audrey, you taught her that people can change and Doug, you taught her to love" Queen Belle responds which made all the mentioned teenagers smile sadly.

"What about us?" Dizzy asked as she looked towards Harry, Gil, and Uma, all of whom had sad smiles on their faces as they believed that they didn't teach Evie anything.

"Evie said that Uma taught her how to be a true princess, inside and out" Queen Belle continued as she looked at Uma who had a new set of tears in her eyes, "She said that Gil taught her to truly laugh. She said that she loved her laugh lines because each one of those represents a fun memory with her brother on the Isle" Queen Belle added as she looked at Gil who had a large smile on his lips as Audrey reached up and wiped away Gil's tears once they fall onto his check. "Harry Hook was the one to teach her that looks can be deceiving and that you can be smarter than you look" Harry smiled softly at the former queen and mothed a 'thank you' which made the former queen nod as Harry rested his chin on Uma's neck.

"And Princess Dizzy" Queen Belle continued as she looked at Dizzy who smiled softly at the name, "Evie said that you were the one that inspired her the most. She learned everything she did so she could get you off the Isle and into a happy life. She truly loved you" Queen Belle finished.

Mal smiled sadly as she snuggled closer to Ben and held Evie's necklace in her hand as she drifted off to sleep. Mal knew that her best friend was gone but she made a promise to herself, just as her eyes closed and sleepover took her, that she would look after Dizzy like Evie wanted too and would raise her to be the smart, kind girl Evie wanted her to be. Mal would be strong for her friends, her family, Dizzy and most importantly;

For her late best friend and sister, Evie.


	25. The aftershock

By the time all the teenagers were cleaned up and no longer had tear stain marks on their cheeks, the Cotillion boat was docked at the harbour and the other teenagers were already off the boat so the only people on the boat were Fairy Godmother, the former rulers of Auradon, the VK's and their significant others. Fairy Godmother promised Queen Belle and King Adam to bring Evie to the Castle for a small funeral with just the blue-haired girls family and friends in two days and take Flynn to the dungeons of the castle until his true punishment is decided by the council. The teenagers walked down the small walkway that connected the boat to the mainland and they tried to quickly walk past the loud paparazzi gathered at the exit who wanted to know why Cotillion was cut short and where Evie was. Tears pricked in Uma and Mal's eyes as she and the daughter of Ursula walked next to each other, their boyfriends shielding them from the paparazzi bombarding them with even more questions about the blue-haired princesses whereabouts.

The teenagers quickly climbed into the limo's that were gathered at the end of the long blue carpet at the base of the walkway. Melody and Doug were in a separate limo as the two were going to go to Auradon Prep instead of Castle Beast so Doug could pack and would be ready to leave after Evie's funeral- until the larger funeral for the whole kingdom. The teenagers sat quietly in the back of the limo, the sound of the engines humming being the only sound as they all looked down at the ground. Queen Belle and King Adam were in the same limo as Princess Melody and Doug so they could make sure the teenagers got back to Auradon Prep safely as Fairy Godmother stayed behind to talk with some of the medics that were called to see about Evie.

Mal rested her head against Uma's shoulder as the daughter of Ursula wrapped her arm around Mal's shoulder, leaning her own head against Mal's as the two smiled sadly down at Dizzy who was cuddled up in Uma's lap. Ben and Harry were sat next to their respective girlfriends, their faces emotionless, as they looked at the black carpet in the limo, every once in a while looking at their girlfriends to make sure they were okay. Gil was sat next to his best friend, with Audrey holding his hand as the princess leaned against his side and kissed his cheek every once in a while, her smile fake but enough to make Gil give a small smile back. Jane had small tears in her eyes as she sat in between Carlos and Lonnie, the daughter of Mulan holding her hand as she leant her head against Carlos's shoulder, while Jay wrapped his arm around Lonnie's waist protectively.

"M-M-Mal" Dizzy stuttered as Mal sniffled and removed her head from Uma's shoulder, a fake smile on her lips while she looked down at Dizzy as the little girl clung onto Harry's jacket- that the pirate had given her for warmth. "Will mom becoming back soon?" Dizzy asked quietly which caused Mal's heart to break.

Of course Dizzy was old enough to realise when people were truly not coming back, but in the little girl's fragile mind, Evie was one of the princesses in her bedtime stories- the ones that were given true loves kiss and woke up from their long slumber. It was hard for Dizzy to comprehend the fact that Evie wasn't coming back, wasn't going to hug her again, sing to her when her nightmares got too much, look after her or kiss her goodnight again. The little girl had just watched someone she counted as a mother die trying to protect the kingdom and her family, so in Dizzy's mind, Evie was a hero's and hero's never died or lost against the evil villain- after all, wasn't that why her biological family was on the Isle? Because they lost against the heroes?

"Diz, Evie is..." Mal started looking at Uma for help who shrugged, having never experienced anything so delicate in her life. Uma wasn't stupid, she knew that if she or anyone else said the wrong thing then Dizzy would panic and start to cry again and that may lead to her becoming sick- which Uma didn't want to happen, especially at a time like this.

"Mal, can I help?" Audrey offered as she watched Mal struggle to find her words. Mal nodded and watched as Dizzy turned her head to look at the princess, sadness filling her eyes as she waited to hear what Audrey would say. "Dizzy, you mamma was the best person in the whole wide world" Audrey started which made Dizzy smile as Uma and Mal shared a small smile of their own. "And sometimes, something in this world goes wrong but my mamma and pappa always used to tell me that whenever someone I loved passed, they would move to the stars. My mamma told me that the first star to appear in the sky every night represents the person you love and as long as you and everyone else love that person, that star will shine as bright as the moon" Audrey explained kindly.

"So, mom's a star now?" Dizzy asked as she looked at Audrey confusingly. The princess moved closer to Dizzy and extended her arms out, which made Dizzy smile as she climbed off of Uma's lap and instead onto Audrey's and wrapped her legs around the princesses back. The teenagers in the limo watched with tear-filled eyes as Audrey held Dizzy's hands in her lap, gently smiling as she started to answer Dizzy's question.

"Your mamma doesn't have to be a star. I choose a star because I love the idea of my loved ones watching over me, hopefully smiling at the person I have become. It can be the sea or a flower, whatever you choose because no matter what- your mamma will watch over you and smile. I know that for certain" Audrey explained which caused Dizzy to smile as she let go of Audrey's hands and wrapped her arms around the girl's neck, snuggling closer to the princess as Uma replaced Harry's jacket around Dizzy'shouldersrs.

"Can you sing a song?" Dizzy muttered as she gently closed her eyes. "My mom used to sing whenever I was upset and I miss her. Please?" Dizzy begged which caused Audrey to sign and nod as she looked at Mal for a song choice but the purple-haired teen was to busy trying to stay awake against Uma's shoulder to answer the daughter of Sleeping Beauty.

 _"Some girls are fair"_

Audrey began as she looked towards Mal, the purple-haired teen smiling sadly at the soft voice Audrey was using. Dizzy hummed in approval as Audrey continued to sing softly for the little girl in her lap who was fighting the urge to sleep.

 _"Some are jolly and fit"_

Audrey turned her attention to Lonnie who smiled sleepily as she moved a piece of her hair behind her ear shyly, the soft grip around her waist tightening slightly while Lonnie smiled up at Jay lovingly.

 _"Some have a well-bred air"_

Audrey turned towards Jane who smiled and nodded at Audrey, her hand running through Carlos's hair as the young boy yawned softly, causing Jane to follow in his action.

 _"Or a well-honed wit"_

Uma smirked softly at the lyric as Audrey turned her head to look at the daughter of Ursula, a hint of sadness in her eyes as she listened to the lyrics that represented Evie's personality perfectly.

 _"Each one's a jewel"_

Audrey looked down at Dizzy, a small smile playing at her lips as the daughter of Sleeping Beauty ran her fingers softly through Dizzy's long hair, her smiling softening when she felt Dizzy snuggle closer to her.

 _"With a singular shine.  
_ _A work of art,  
_ _with_ its _own rare design._

 _Dear little girl,  
_ _you are terribly blessed  
_ _but it's your heart of gold,  
_ _I love the best._

 _And that will be your crowning whole life  
it'll always be your crowning glory,  
the most glorious part of you"_

Audrey smiled as she looked down at Dizzy, her gaze filled with love for the little girl as she sang softly. The song was a lot slower then it was supposed to be, with the princess singing the words like it was a lullaby instead of the upbeat style the song originally was intended to be.

"Some boys can groove,  
wear the really hip  
seems to have no faults,  
but we never like those,  
no, we don't.  
He'll praise your eyes,  
your melodious laugh,  
call you more lovely than others by far,  
The one who's right,  
my gorgeous prince,  
will be honest and will believe in me too,  
and prize your heart of gold the way I do.

He'll know that that will be your crowning glory,  
your whole life love will see.  
It's your crowning glory. Most glorious part of you, and you.

That will be your crowning glory,  
darling, when they tell your story,  
He'll call your heart of gold your crowning,  
most glorious part of you"

Audrey quietly ended the song as she kissed the top of Dizzy's head, smiling softly when she saw the closed eyes of the little girl as she breathed in and out evenly, her arms wrapped around Audrey's neck while her head was snuggled into Audrey's shoulder. The rest of the limo ride was filled with a comfortable silence that only Dizzy's quiet snores seemed to be able to break as the teenagers waited for the limo to pull up at Castle Beast.

"Your Majesty" The driver called out from the driving set, breaking the silence and making Ben look up from Mal and towards the driver, nodding for the man to continue. "Around five more minutes until we reach the Castle, your majesty"

"Thank you" Ben responded before the divider between the driver and the back of the limo went back up again, giving the group of teenagers some privacy. "Okay, do you wanna know where you will be sleeping or...?" Ben trailed off after he saw everyone slowly nod for Ben to continue, "Okay well, Uma, Dizzy and Mal, you three can stay in the room next to my office so Mal should know where it is" After Mal nodded in confirmation, Ben continued to explain where everyone would be staying. "Audrey, Jane and Lonnie, you three can have the room next to theirs with an inter-locking door so you can go to-and-from each room without trouble. Gil and Harry can be in the room next to mine. The girl's room is a corridor way so it's not that much but all the rooms on their corridor have an ensuite bathroom for the girls to use. Jay and Carlos can have the room on the other side of mine if you guys want" Ben offered which made all the boy's nod.

* * *

After finding their rooms and saying a quick goodnight to the boys -with Uma and Mal having to promise Harry that they would go to him if anything went wrong in the night- the girls finally got settled into their rooms. Audrey had already tucked Dizzy in, cuddled up safely in the middle of the three beds that lined the back wall of Mal, Uma and the little girl's room. Walking out of the bedroom, after giving Dizzy a kiss on the forehead as a goodnight and turning off the lights, Audrey signed to herself as she looked into the wall-mounted mirror that hung above the vanity table which sat opposite a large marble fireplace where three, currently full, armchairs rested in front of the marble structure. The floor was covered with a cream carpet and the walls were painted a royal blue, like the bed covers, that had a floral print painted onto it with gold paint. The back wall was made completely of glass which allowed the resistance to see onto the large balcony and the sea just beyond Queen Belle's large rose garden. There was a wooden door in the corner of the room which leads to a large bathroom which connected the girl's rooms and allowed them to travel easily from one room to the other, just like Ben had said.

Audrey began to wipe away her makeup as she listened to Jane and Lonnie's conversation with the two VK's as they sat in the large armchairs. Mal was cuddled up in one, her hair a lot frizzier then it was at Cotillion as she held Uma's hand, who was leaning against the chair so her two Auradon born friends could sit down after kicking off their heels, which landed in a heap in the middle of the room.

"Audrey" Mal called out as Audrey finished wiping off her makeup, her lips back to their regular light pink shade and her eyelids no longer sparkling from her eyeshadow. Audrey nodded for Mal to continue as the princess got up and walked towards her friends, taking a similar stance as Uma and leaning against the chair Jane was sat in so she could see everyone. "I want to thank you, for looking after Dizzy. I don't know what any of us would have said if you hadn't swooped in and saved the day"

"Do you know why my momma told me the story of the stars?" Audrey asked -ignoring Mal's previous question- causing everyone, even Jane and Lonnie, to shake their heads no and turn towards the princess for an explanation. "I had this friend, Maya Love was her name." Jane and Lonnie shared an incredulous look after hearing the name that was all over the news when they were no older than twelve years old.

"She was so incredible" Audrey continued as she smiled at Mal and Uma's confused features. "She wasn't royalty, no and I'm thankful, she was the daughter of a miner who mined all the diamonds for my crowds because our mines have some of the most beautiful pink diamonds. Anyway, after an experiment her father was working on to make the diamonds sparkle for longer without having to be cleaned, she developed magic. Not much but enough for it to be dangerous. She didn't tell me until we were around thirteen after an accident happened"

"What kind of accident?" Mal asked as she eyed Audrey suspiciously, still not fully convinced that the story Audrey was telling her was going to end with the words 'and they lived happily ever after' that many of Auradon's stories that filled the library did.

"We were in the village outside of my castle, after sneaking out without my guards, to pick flowers for some event that was coming up in our kingdom. This boy then pushed me over and stole my tiara, I didn't really mind but Maya did." Audrey signed as she looked down, shaking her head slightly at the memory, "She ran after him and grabbed my tiara back from him, breaking his nose from the way she pushed him down. I quickly grabbed her hand to rush away from the village and back towards the castle when some people started to appear but when we touched, my hand got burnt. Her power was controlled by her emotions and because she was really angry, I got first degree burns on my hands"

Audrey extended her hand out to Mal and Uma and showed them the faint lines that littered the palm of her hand and fingers. They were faint but in the glow of the fire, the two Isle born friends could see the pale lines that resembled that of a spider's web on the princesses tanned skin. "Took three weeks to fully heal" Audrey signed as she recoiled her hand and placed it back in Jane's, who was shocked at the faint lines that covered Audrey's hands.

"After that day, she refused to use her magic and distanced herself from everyone. My once confident and amazing best friend -who was like my sister- had become a broken fragment of her former self and it killed me to see her like that. After a couple of months, I managed to convince her to go out on a girls day with me and we did. It was amazing until someone spotted me and tried to... I don't know what they did. One minute I'm talking to some nice person and the next, a dagger was being raised and I was almost stabbed. The person was from the moors who used to work for Maleficent. He is now on the Isle but Maya.. she" Audrey signed as she looked up at Mal and Uma, her eyes filled the to the brim with tears as she thought about the girl's, who she considered being her sister, fate.

Within the broken fragments of her heart, Mal felt a pang of anger -hidden under the layers of pain for Evie's fate, sorrow for her friends and what they were now going through and hatred for Ursula- for her mother. Even on the Isle Of The Lost, Maleficent still managed to hurt the Beauty family and someone they loved- even if the mistress of evil didn't command the action herself. It seemed to Mal, that no matter where or what her mother was, she always seemed to ruin Mal's and her families life with one simple command and she never seemed to care about the consequences.

"What I'm saying is that I know what its like to lose a sister. I didn't talk about Maya for so long after everything that happened and no one knew how to help me. I don't want that for you two too, so please, don't act like your fine when your not" Audrey begged as she looked at Mal and Uma, "I did and that caused me to miss out on a lot of things. I'm not saying that talking about it will make it better or make the pain go away instantly because it won't. But it will make you feel better" Audrey added.

"How did you do it?" Uma asked as she looked up at Audrey, her eyes having unshed tears in them as she spoke. "How did you get over the fact that you lost someone who was like a sister because E wasn't like a sister, she _was_ my sister. As much as Oceana or Pearl is" Uma added causing Audrey to nod in agreement.

"I didn't 'get over it'. I cried and cried and cried until I was sure that I had no more tears to cry. But what I am saying is that you don't have to hide your emotions or ignore them around us. I won't give you the line 'Evie would want you to be strong' because I was told that every day when Maya died and it made me feel worse for the fact that I couldn't do the one thing she wanted me to do so instead I'll say this" Audrey said as she moved closer to Mal and Uma, kneeling in front of the two as she placed her hand on Mal's knee as the purple-haired teen closed her eyes to contain her tears.

"I lost my sister but Dizzy lost a mother and Carlos lost his sister and his first friend. So did Jay, Harry and Gil" Audrey signed softly, "That doesn't mean that you don't have a right to cry because you do, trust me. But what I am saying is that Dizzy looks up to you girls so if she sees you crying then she will know it is okay, the same with Carlos, Jay, Harry, Ben and everyone else. Show them that it's okay to be sad when stuff goes wrong" Audrey asked.

"I don't k-know how to do that without E-E-Evie" Mal cried as she opened her eyes, her once shining green eyes now full of pain and sorrow as she looked at Audrey, the sparkle in her eye disappearing at her words. Even though it had been a couple of hours since the incident, Evie's fate had only started to settle in for Mal as she spoke, her voice shaking when she realised that there was no way Evie was coming back and that fact broke Mal to say and Uma to hear. Mal was like Dizzy when Evie's fate had first claimed her, thinking that this was a large joke or that Evie was going to come back -like in all the 'happily ever after's' Mal and Uma heard about as children- and that Evie was going to jump out from around the corner and surprise everyone as she held Mal, Uma and Dizzy close to her until they fell asleep.

"And I understand that" Audrey began as she looked up at Mal, "I do, truly. But you are not alone because you have all of us. That may seem cliche but it's true, we aren't going anywhere" Audrey continued as she looked at Uma with sad eyes as she spoke about Evie, tears welling up behind Audrey's eyes as she talked about the person she counted as family. All the memories Audrey had with the blue-haired princess were filled with laughter and smiles as they talked about the newest designs of dresses or had days at Auradon's capital with bags hanging from their arms.

* * *

 _Audrey and Evie smiled widely as they walked down the cobblestone paths of Auradon's capital, the sun shining above them as they laughed about each other's childhood stories. Evie's heels clicked against the stone path, strutting as she placed one foot in front of the other because of the knee length pencil skirt she had one restricting her movement slightly. Evie's blue blouse was tucked into her skirt with the top two buttons undone, displaying her necklace proudly as she pulled her shoulders back, her mothers voice still in her head even though she hadn't seen the former queen for almost five months. Evie's olive coloured arms were covered with bag handles as she carried five bags on each arm, her skin turning red from the friction but Evie didn't seem to mind as she smiled widely with the daughter of Sleeping Beauty._

 _Audrey was dressed in a similar style then she usually does, with her light pink dress hugging her curves as she strutted next to Evie, her smile wide as Evie talked about the times she and her friends would play games on the Isle Of The Lost. Audrey's dress was tight and a light pink, the heart neckline being low but still sophisticated as her lace sleeves stopped at her elbows. Audrey's shoes were the same as Evie's but slightly higher as Evie was naturally taller then most people she came in contact with around her age. Audrey's hair was the same as Evie's, her brown hair curled loosely at her shoulders as it falls down her back in slight curls._

 _The girls were just finishing their shopping day before they both went to Castle Beast to have an anniversary dinner for Queen Belle and King Adam's anniversary of twenty-one years of marriage. The former royals were only having a quiet dinner to mark the occasion with close family which consisted of the VK's and their friends and Mal had asked the couple if Audrey could come because of her ever-growing relationship with the daughter of Sleeping Beauty. The former rulers agreed happily, having heard many stories about how Audrey had changed from the once vain princess she used to be to the giving and pure-hearted princess she was now, with the generous help from Mal and her friends._

 _"So this boy starts bullying Carlos and then I walk up to him and just smile. And I swear Audrey, he almost fall and instantly he started flirting with me!" Evie laughed which caused Audrey to laugh along with her. The two were currently walking towards their last store on the list -a formal dress shop at the corner of the street- as they talked about all the past relationships the two girls had had in their lives. Evie, of course, had more stories to tell then Audrey did but Audrey held her own, with embarrassing stories of Chad Charming as he tried to get Audrey to date him without breaking up with him. "A week later, he still hadn't stopped staring at me so I did the one thing I knew how- I pretended to date someone else"_

 _"Who?" Audrey laughed as the two walked into the store, the employees watching the two teens curiously as they laughed together like newly reunited, best friends._

 _"Jay" Evie exclaimed with laughter, the two girls giggling at the image of the son of Jafar dating the daughter of the Evil Queen as they moved towards the blue and pink dresses at the back of the store. "You should of seem his face when I asked Jay to date me. I had to step on his foot just for him to understand what I was saying. I was his first real relationship and it lasted two hours" Evie states proudly which caused Audrey to laugh more as they looked through the ranks of clothes, all ranges of pinks and blues._

 _"You know I have loved doing this. You are so much better to talk to than my other friends" Audrey complemented which made Evie smile happily at the daughter of Sleeping Beauty. Audrey reached over and pulled Evie into a one-handed hug, the blue-haired teen wrapping her arm around Audrey's waist to pull the girl closer._

 _"Me too. I swear Mal doesn't know the difference between a dress and a jump-suit" Evie laughed as she pulled away from Audrey who giggled in agreement._

 _"yea, but you have to love her"_

 _"Yea"_

* * *

"MOM" A voice shouted from the other room, breaking Audrey out of her memories involving the blue-haired princess they had lost hours ago, and instead thrusting her back into the real world- allowing her enough time to watch Uma wipe her eyes quickly and stand up before anyone else, moving towards the ajar bathroom door. Uma turned around quickly after hearing footsteps behind her, which belonged to Mal as the purple-haired teen rushed towards Uma, being followed closely behind by Jane, Lonnie and Audrey.

"Please, let me" Uma begged as she looked pointedly at Mal who opened her mouth to protest but quickly stopped when she saw the small tears forming in the corners of Uma's eyes as loud sobs echoed from the other room. "I want to do this, for Dizzy and E. Please Mal" Mal nodded slowly as she turned to the others nodding back at the arm-chairs, in front of the still blazing fire. Uma quickly turned around and opened the bathroom door fully, before rushing into the other room, where Dizzy was supposed to be peacefully sleeping, and turning on the lights, closing the door behind her as she took in the sight in front of her.

Dizzy was curled up in a ball on top of her bed, her knee's pressed tightly into her chest as she cried into her knee's, soaking the new fabric of her PJ's as she shook violently. Her mattress was thrown around, with half of it hanging off the edge of the bed and her pillows soaked through by sweat or tears -Uma couldn't tell- as Dizzy closed her eyes tightly. It broke Uma's heart into a million tiny pieces -worse then what her mother ever did to her- as she looked at the once confident girl she had grown up listening to Evie talk about constantly, now shaking on her bed because of -what Uma could only think of- a nightmare. It pained Uma most knowing that she was unable to protect Dizzy from her dreams and that she could only hold the girl when she cried in her arms until she falls asleep, into an inevitable nightmare filled sleep.

Uma rushed to Dizzy's side and quickly sat next to the little girl, gently placing her hand on Dizzy's shoulder as to not scare the girl, but what happened next shocked Uma. Dizzy violently pushed Uma's hand off like it was fire -ready to burn her skin from one single touch- and sat up, moving away from Uma quickly. "I'm not going to hurt you Diz. I promise you, I won't leave until you are okay again" Uma promised, extending her hand out to Dizzy who shook her head, no, at the gesture.

"Everyone leaves through," Dizzy said quietly, pain evident in her eyes as she sat up on her bed. Dizzy pushed her legs into her chest, placing her chin on her knee's as tears flooded down her rosy cheeks. "Mom said she wouldn't leave, but she did. My biological mom doesn't love me and I don't even know my father. I left my whole life on the Isle Of The Lost and I wish I could just... I just wish I could go back and forget everything that happened" Dizzy signed into her knee's which broke Uma's heart.

"Dizzy, that's not true. You are an Auradon girl, just like E. I know it's hard to fight something you have been told all your life as I know you have. I think I am to blame because I filled your head with stories about how the good people always win and they live 'happily ever after' from such a young age" Uma started which made Dizzy look up as she saw the small tears gather in Uma's dark brown eyes as she spoke.

"It's hard. To grow up with people you love and trust telling you that we are the good guys and that we should have our own 'happily ever after' as well as the heroes and then have someone you love go away. I did this to you because I was the one who told you all those stories that filled your childhood and I'm so sorry about that. You didn't deserve that and for that I am sorry but I made a promise to Evie a long time ago and that was that I would protect all of you. I promise that just because I failed you for so long, that I would _not_ fail you again or everyone else." Uma continued confidently as Dizzy unwrapped her arms from around her legs and moved to be closer to Uma who was wiping her eyes clean with her fingers.

"I know that it's going to be difficult for you but I promise that I will always make sure that everyone in our family is okay" Uma continued as she extended her arms out for Dizzy who smiled sadly through her tears and moved into Uma's lap, her arms wrapped around Uma's waist while she buried her face into Uma's chest. Uma smiled sadly as she ran her fingers through Dizzy's hair, pressing a gentle kiss on top of Dizzy's head as she signed deeply. "I love you, Diz. Never forget that"

"I won't. I love you too... auntie Uma"

Uma smiled sadly at Dizzy's words before turning her head towards the large windows in the room which gave the daughter of Ursula the greatest view of the heavens that sparkled brightly on top of the dark blanket of night that they were cuddled upon. And as Uma stared at one magical star, in particular, she made a promise to anyone who was listening; that she would protect her friends and family no matter the cost and never let them down. And after watching the second star to the right twinkle brightly -like encouragement from the gods to fulfil her promise- she knew that what Audrey said was true.

Evie truly was a star. _The second star to the right, and straight on till morning._

* * *

Dark brown eyes shot open as the princess gasped for air, her body jolting up as she breathed heavily. The brown eyes looked around the room in confusion, expecting to see her normal dorm room or at the very least, her friends and family but instead she saw neither of those things. The room the princess was in was large and spacious - _fit for a princess_ she thought happily- with walls coloured a dark blue and bordered all the way around with sparkling gold. The light wood floor complemented the white paint on the vanity table that was opposite the dazed princess as her eyes scanned over the contents of the table. Half used perfume bottles of some of the princesses favourite sents and new red lipsticks graced the vanity table and pictures of family members lined the mirror as the princess stared at them each intently. Something felt familiar with the pictures but she couldn't put her figure on it and it was starting to freak her out, so her eyes began to wander again until they set upon a pair of grand doors, each side by side and lined with gold- like the rest of the room.

Taking off the silk quilt that covered her body, the princess noticed that she was no longer bleeding or in the clothes she fought Ursula in. Evie's hair still reached the bottom of her back as she sat at the edge of her bed and still held it's orange and blue colouring that she no longer had to hide from the world anymore -considering they already knew about it from when she fought Ursula and used her magic to change her outfit. Evie's mouth hung open in shock as she looked down at the long black dress that she was now dressed in.

The top of the dress was made entirely of lace and sheer fabric that allowed some of the princesses skin to be shown but still kept her sophisticated as her sleeves ended at her wrists- with a piece of lace wrapping itself around the base of her thumb so the sleeves didn't rise as she moved her arms. The dress then fanned out into a knee-length black skirt that matched the colour of the top of the dress but also had a small, thin, black and sparkly band wrapped around her waist. There was also a long trail on the back of the dress that flowed behind Evie as she stood up, the trail wrapping around her as she moved left and right. The sheerness of the trial matched that of the top half of the dress but the large ruffles allowed the fabric to be opaque. Evie's gold heels clicked on the wooden floor as she moved, the four-inch high-heels adding to Evie's height and making her smile as she twirled around the room.

"Wait," Evie said to herself as she stopped moving and looked around the room, "Where are my friends?" Evie muttered as she moved towards the large grand doors on the other side of the door, pulling on them but failing to open them. "Let me out!" Evie shouted as she pounded on the seemingly locked door, waiting for someone to answer her pleas.

After a couple of minutes, she heard a small click from the door and a sign as she moved backwards and prepared for anyone who was about to walk into the room. The doors opened and Evie was surprised to find that it was a knight in shining armour and a long sword that was attached to his hip by his belt. The knight looked confused for a moment until his eyes locked with Evie's who instantly held her head up high and narrowed her eyes at the intruder- trying to ignore the pang of panic that hit her heart upon seeing the stranger.

"Who are you and where am I?" Evie demanded to know as she stepped closer to the knight who looked at the princess confusingly. _How can she not remember?_ the knight wondered as he looked into Evie's shining eyes that were glowing with a fire that could be the Underworlds flames to shame. "Where are my friends? What have you done with them? Speak!" Evie commanded when the solider didn't say a word.

"His Majesty has requested that your royal highness stays in your chamber until his meeting has ended" the knight responded which made Evie scoff in annoyance. _Requested_ she thought amusingly, _we will see about that._

"Where is this king?" Evie asked definitely, "I wish to speak to him" Evie was not about to be bossed around by some king that she doesn't even know the name of when her friends were who knows where and probably worried about her! The knight stumbled for as Evie stepped closer, not used to the pang of fear that wrapped itself around his heart as Evie moved closer to him, her dress trailing behind her as her heels clicked against the wooden flooring. "Tell me or I swear on everything beautiful, that I will burn down this inter castle with one single wave of my hand. I am not in a cheerful mood" Evie was bluffing of course as she didn't even know if her magic even worked where she was but the knight didn't know that- evident by the scared look edged into his features.

"He is in the throne room, just down the corridor-" before the knight could finish, Evie strutted past him and down the hallway, paying no mind to the onlookers who stared at the princess in disbelieve before dropping into a low curtsy as she moved past them. Evie walked towards the large doors that were located at the end of the corridor, lined with gold as they stood proudly in front of Evie. The blue-haired teen signed before pushing open the doors, her eyes widening at the beautiful senary around her.

The giant room was almost three times bigger then the room Evie had woken up in and was made entirely out of stone. Large pillars lined the long black carpet in the middle of the room and acted as support beams for the giant roof that had three chandeliers that hung above certain parts of the black carpet- pacifically the start, end and middle. Groups of people were group together at the sides of the room, each surrounding a large circle table that was filled with -what looked like- important documents that the men and women were talking about. Three of these tables lined each side of the room and one large, rectangular table stood at the very back of the room, where men and women were sat with their backs towards Evie as they all looked up to the large throne in front of them. The throne was made initially out of sharp spikes and was a midnight black which matched the gloomy and mysterious vide of the rest of the castle from what Evie had seen so far.

The room instantly became quiet as people turned around to see who had just entered the room, causing Evie to plaster on a fake smile and continue her sturt down the black carpet, ignoring the hushed whispers from the groups of people as they bowed and curtsied to her. Eventually, she stopped just a couple of steps away from the long table and instead of raising her head to look up at the king she lowered it and dropped into a low curtsy. She may not have specifically liked the king, especially after he 'requested' that she stay in her room -as the knight put it- but she didn't forget her mother -and father's- teachings on respect. They taught her that if she wanted respect then she had to give the person respect first, a lesson she tries to teach everyone she meets by treating them with respect no matter what.

"Your Highness" Evie greeted as she kept her gaze lowered, fighting the urge to look up and start shouting questions about where she or her friends were and instead be calm and collected- even if she did want to yell at the king until her vocal cords snapped.

"Princess Evelyn" A deep voice greeted back which made Evie shiver as she heard no emotion in the man's voice. "I thought you were not allowed to leave your room until further notice" The king stated in amusement.

"With all due respect your highness I am not some animal to be copped up in a pen" Evie answered back before raising her head to look at the king who smiled in amusement. Evie tilted the head to the side as she looked at the young man who sat casually on the throne, his chin resting on his palm as he looked at Evie with amusement shining in his eyes. His skin was a light grey colour and his jawline was sharp, while his eyes were a bright yellow as he gazed down at Evie. His grey suit was fitting and his white button up top was half tucked in and half tucked out which let him rest his unused hand into his trouser pocket. Evie swore she had seen the man before, maybe not like he was now but she could have sworn that some of her earliest memories were filled with his bright yellow eyes. "Um...do I... know you?" Evie asked slowly as she looked at the king.

"Dad said you would be forgetful" The king jocked which made Evie scoff and turn her head to the side, her hair falling across her face as she rolled her eyes.

"Forgive me. I don't actually know where I am" Evie answered back as she looked back to the king. "Speaking of which, where are my friends? I have been here for Hades knows how long and yet, I haven't seen one familiar face apart from yours and I'm not even sure who you are" Evie added.

"You would think a princess would remember their step-brother" the king responded as he stood up, walking around the long table and towards Evie. The king extended his hand out to Evie who gently placed her hand in his, slowly rising up to her feet as she looked at the king properly.

"Hayden" Evie gasped in surprise which caused the king to nod in confirmation. Evie quickly wrapped her arms around Hayden's neck and quickly pulled him into a hug, her face buried in her step-brother's chest as he pulled his arms around Evie's waist. "I missed you so much" It was true, although Evie hadn't seen Hayden since her mother forbid her from seeing her fathers side of the family, she did miss the other side of her family. She loved the trips she would make to her father's castle where she and her step-siblings would play games and have family dinners together before Evie would have to go back to her mother's castle. Hayden was the eldest of her step-siblings but he also had two younger sibling -a girl who was thirteen years younger than him and Harris who was on the Isle and dating Oceana, which always made Hayden smile as he thought about the girl that made his brother happy- but he always protected Evie like they were biologically related.

When Evie's father and The Evil Queen got together, Hayden was three years old and his mother and their father were taking a break. After Evie was born, her father got back together with Hayden's mother and they got married and ten years later they had a beautiful little girl called Harley. Harley and Evie never met each other before but she heard some things from Harris and Oceana who got weekly reports from her father's kingdom.

"Everyone leave" Hayden commanded as Evie snuggled closer to her step-brother, signing in relief as he tightened his arms around Evie. Everyone quickly left the room after bowing and curtsying to the two royals as the two hugged, smiling widely when the large doors closed and they were finally alone. "I missed you so much, Blueberry. You have to tell me everything that has happened"

Evie and Hayden spent the next hour recapping on the past events. Hayden told Evie about his coronation that happened almost a month ago. The blue-haired princess felt a pang of sadness erupt in her heart after hearing that her older brother had had his coronation and became king without her help. When it came to Hayden, he was more of a silence-master and an athlete than a political genius and he often went to Evie for help about how to rule a kingdom, since she had grown up with her mother and father both teaching her different ways to rule. While The Evil Queen told Evie to follow her husband's directions and just focus on the feats and parties that they would throw, Evie's father and step-brother made sure that Evie felt like her voice was heard and appreciated which Evie was very thankful for.

Evie informed her brother about everything happening in her life and the changes that she has made to herself. After telling Hayden that she made a new business with her boyfriend -something that Hayden let slide as he didn't want to interrupt her flow of conversation as she described everything that has happened within the past six months- Evie then told him the last things she remembered before blacking out and waking up in her room. "So that's what happened. I don't remember anything else" Evie signed as she looked towards her lap, her eyes welling with tears at her last memories with her friends.

"Evie" Hayden started which made Evie sign in disappointment, already knowing that whatever Hayden was about to say would be hard. Hayden never called Evie by her true name unless it was a serious situation, especially considering that his favourite hobby as a child was to give people nicknames. "You are... dead. You fell and bleed out and now you are dead"

"Sure," Evie said sarcastically as she laughed. Evie turned to see the serious look on Hayden's face and stopped laughing, shaking her head in disbelief at the thought of her actually being dead. "Then how are you here? And everyone else? I'm not dead. I am just... asleep. Yea, I'm asleep" Evie added.

"We are in the Underworld remember and because I was born here, I don't have to die to actually stay here for a long period of time" Hayden started to explain. "Evie, your soul came down here but your body is still up there. You are classed as dead but I pulled some strings and saved you from the Lake Of Lost Souls. That's why everyone is bowing to you- because I told them that you were my sister and so you are a princess. But I'm sorry Blueberry. You may not be able to leave the Underworld"

"What about all my friends? Dizzy? Doug?" Evie asked as she turned to face her step-brother fully until an idea hit her. "Where's dad?" Evie asked which caused Hayden to sign.

"With mom and Harley in your old nursery" Hayden answered back which made Evie smile as she stood up and walked towards the large doors that were in the corner of the room.

"You coming or what? I have a couple of people to meet"

* * *

 **Okay, so this chapter may be a little confusing. So in this chapter, we deal with two things;  
** **-how the VK's and the AK's are reacting to Evie's death plus some of Audrey's background information which will link together with future chapters.  
** **-and that Evie's is not gone forever like everyone things.**

 **So just to explain, in this chapter, Evie goes down to the Underworld and meets her step-brother who is King Of The Underworld and brothers with Harris, Hayden. You may be able to guess who Evie's father is and if not, the next chapter will kinda be based on Evie's biological family (not the VK's or AK's) finding out about her fate and trying to make it right. I know it may seem weird now but I promise that I do have a plan for this.**

 **I read the comments from the last chapters and some people were really sad that Evie had died but she has returned. Evie is one of my favourite characters and it honestly pained me to write the last chapter but I had too. Mal and the VK's (plus the AK's) will learn about Evie's fate soon but it may be a couple of chapters until then so you may have to read a little about how the teenagers are really sad. Sorry :(**

 **Thanks for reading and please favourite and comment so it tells me that you enjoy this book.**


	26. Lost but not forgotten

Darkness had yet to surrender to the soft glow of light, as the young king arose from his deep slumber, the looming smell of lavender filling his nostrils as he turned in his half-awake state. Wrapping his arms around the love of his life, his heart quickly began to beat in tune of a love song -he had no idea which one, as he listened to hundreds, maybe thousands, in his childhood- and signed in contentment as he nuzzled his chin into the sleeping teenagers shoulder, kissing the skin softly while his eyes remained closed. He tried to image the peaceful look on his girlfriend's features as her short purple hair curled around her face, shielding herself from the glow of the descending moon that shone through the large windows of the young king's bedroom. His eyes fluttered open while he heard the rustle of bedsheets as she turned around in his arms, her eyes filled with sleep and unshed tears and her once bright emerald eyes were now replaced with dull ones that shone of pain and heartache from the previous hours.

"Hello, my love" the young king greeted softly. He knew that she wasn't okay, just by looking at her beautiful features that were morphed into sadness and dismay that seemed to grow at the question. After she had come into his room crying and hyperventilating in the middle of the night, muttering words about the nightmare she had just had and the pain in her chest that never ceased -no matter how much he hugged her or kissed her- he knew that she wouldn't be okay, not for a long time. She had dreamt about the all the memories she had with her sister. The ones filled with hope and joy for the world seemed to shine the brightest in her mind but the haunting experiences the two had shared together -the near-death moments where they truly learnt the value of life and having each other around- were the ones to keep playing over and over in her mind like a broken record and they didn't seem to stop, even when she thought that the pain in her chest couldn't get worse or the tears in her eyes would stop overflowing. Eventually, the only memories in her mind were the ones that didn't end with 'happily ever after'.

It physically and emotionally pained the king to see his girlfriend in pain and know that he couldn't do anything but hold her and tell her that everything would be alright -even if he wasn't sure if it was a lie or not. He was the king of all of Auradon and yet he couldn't help his girlfriend as she cried about the loss of her sister and tried to wipe away her tears before he saw them and got more worried -of course, he saw them but he didn't want her to feel like she was weak in his eyes so he tried to ignore it and comfort her the best way he could. He knew she was strong -stronger than anyone he had ever encountered- but he also knew that she was still a teenager, one that had just lost the person she considered a sister in all things but blood while also dealing with the stress of having everyone -especially Dizzy- look up to her for advice.

"Hay, Ben" she greeted back sleepily, breathing in deeply as she moved closer to the young king who immediately wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. Her lips curved into a small pout as she snuggled closer to the king, wrapping her legs around his own as she curled into his side, her lips still refusing to form a comforting smile as Ben looked down at his girlfriend in concern. Mal signed as she rested her head on Ben's chest, loving the feeling of the tips of his fingers tracing her scalp as he ran his fingers through her hair slowly. "Ben, have you ever thought about what happens after we close our eyes forever?" Mal questioned after a couple of minutes of silence while the couple watched the moon slowly descend across the blanket of stars and constellations.

Ben shook his head softly at the question as he looked down at Mal, noticing the faraway look in Mal's eyes as her eyes landed on the second star to the right, the brightest star in the sky that seemed to twinkle like a thousand Christmas lights. "Not really. I mean, of course, I wondered if all the stories about the people I love becoming stars were real but I came to the conclusion that it was real because it helped me when times got hard. Why? What's going through that pretty little head of yours?" Ben asked worriedly.

"Since we have been in Auradon, everyone used to say that if we were good then we will get our 'happily ever after', but Evie was the best one of us all -she was the one that I went to when things got too much, Jay went to her when he got hurt in Tourney and wanted Evie to patch him up without him looking weak in front of his team, and she was the one Carlos went to when he was scared that he wouldn't be okay with looking after Dude without anyone's help- and yet she... she died" Mal hesitated, "I just want to make sure that even if she can't be with us here, then she is happy somewhere else"

"I can't tell you where Evie is right now because I don't know and that kills me. To know that I can't tell you everything that is going to happen is killing me but I do know that everything will be okay. I know that things will be hard and there will be times where you just want to cry and curl up in a ball but just know that I will be there to hold you and make sure you are okay" Ben responded as he tightened his arm around Mal's waist slightly, bringing her closer to him as she nodded in understanding. "You hungry? You didn't have a lot of food yesterday and nothing last night so maybe I could go and get us some food" Ben suggested kindly.

Ben knew that by distracting Mal with food he was just delaying the inevitable but he wanted to at least make sure that Mal was eating something before she dived into her work and tried to bury her heart in a dungeon under lock and key where she would try and ignore it until the stabbing pain in her chest subsided. Ben had found out by Harry, Jay and Carlos that Mal and Uma had similar healing processes which mainly consisted of locking themselves away in their offices or rooms until the people around them learnt to stop mentioning whatever had happened. After talking to the VK boys, Ben knew that he needed to make sure that Mal didn't lock everyone away as well as making sure that everyone else was okay.

"I'm not hungry" Mal muttered as she snuggled closer to Ben, "I just want to... I don't know what I want to do right now. Can we just cuddle and not talk?" Mal suggested causing Ben to nod in understanding. Mal breathed in deeply as she closed her eyes, already feeling the burning sensation in her eyes as she squeezed them closed, trying to stop the tears from overflowing from her eyes. She knew what Ben was trying to do -as she already knew that her VK friends would tell him of her way of grieving- but she didn't have the heart to tell him that she wanted to be alone at that moment so she just tried to sleep, believing that the welcomed distraction would help her breaking heart.

Mal understood that her way of grieving was going to affect all of her friends, especially Ben and Dizzy, but it was the only that seemed to work for the purple-haired princess. Evie was her sister and it hurt her to know that the person who always comforted her was no longer in a position where she could do so. Mal remembered all the times Evie saved her and the one time Evie needed her help, she couldn't save her. It hurt Mal to think that she betrayed her best friend by not being able to save her when she needed her most but one memory stayed with Mal no matter now much she tried to get rid of it.

* * *

 _Mal was currently walking around the long halls of Oceana's castle on the Isle Of The lost with a document in her hand as she signed in frustration. Mal had been trying to read the document for the past hour but with the various amounts of information and the layers of complaints that seemed to overlap each other, the young teenager was finding it hard to control her glowing green eyes. Luckily, Mal was the only one in the west wing of the castle so she didn't have to worry about somebody interrupting her. Uma and her sister were out to go to the other side of the island which meant that the only people in the castle were the small amounts of employees, Mal and Pearl who was currently being looked after by Evie as the blue-haired teen decided to not go see her mother and instead wait at the castle while Jay and Carlos went out to get supplies for their hideout closer to their parents home. Mal groaned in annoyance as she fell onto one of the cream sofas that lined the walls of the hallways and ran her fingers through her short, purple hair while she dropped the document she had given up on reading beside her on the two-person sofa. In truth, it probably wasn't the best for the purple-haired teen to be read intense documents because of her painful headache and the cold that wrapped around her body like a thick blanket that she didn't have the energy to throw off of her and instead welcomed it with open arms, finally accepting the fact that she was ill._

 _"Mal?" Evie asked as she turned the corner and saw her best friend, sat quietly in her short pyjama bottoms and a tank top, as she muttered unhearable words about the document she was previously reading. Evie had just tucked Pearl in for the night and was over to see if Mal wanted any dinner before she too went to bed but now that she saw Mal shivering, she knew that she had to make sure that Mal was okay and warm before Evie even started to worry about herself. Evie slowly walked closer to her best friend and sat beside her on the sofa, moving the document out of the way before she sat down and gently raised her hand to Mal's forehead -ignoring the way Mal flinched at the contact as Evie measured her temperature._

 _"Your freezing cold. You know that is bad for you" Evie whispered as she took off her own leather jacket and wrapped it around Mal's shivering frame. Because Mal was half-dragon her body temperature was always a little lower then everyone else's on the Isle and as her best friend, Evie knew that Mal needed heat to survive but of course, that was hard to provide when there was little to no technology on the Isle and that Mal hated physical contact. Of course, Mal was colder then anyone else but if it reached a certain temperature -like now- then it could be deadly as Mal was still half human meaning her immune system wasn't used to the harsh coldness that Mal's body could reach whenever the purple-haired teen didn't look after herself properly._

 _"I-I-I'm c-c-cold" Mal stuttered as she leaned against her best friend. Evie hissed softly at the contact of her best friends skin as she wrapped her arms around the freezing teenager. "I-I-I don't feel great" Mal added softly as she wrapped her arms around Evie's waist and moved closer to the blue-haired teen for warmth, her breathing uneven as she pressed her face into Evie's arm and tightened her grip on the princess._

 _"Okay, dragon" Evie replied as she slowly stood up from the sofa and wrapped her arms around Mal's waist, slowly walking down the halls with Mal beside her as the two walked towards Mal's bedroom. After walking down a couple of the short hallways, Evie kicked open Mal's bedroom door and quickly rushed the teenager into the room and towards the large, purple bed in the centre of the back wall. Evie gently placed Mal down on her bed and rushed to the other side of the room, lighting the fireplace and fanning it until a large flame was burning the logs that were laid in the centre of the marble fireplace. Evie closed the metal gate on the fireplace for safety before running over to Mal who had already got into her bed._

 _Evie sat on the long bed beside Mal, with her legs extended down the bed as she rested her back against the headboard, and ran her fingers through Mal's hair as the daughter of Maleficent placed her head in Evie's lap, wrapping the quilt around her body for warmth. "Dragon, you know that you need to look after yourself. Life is short and in the time we have, we need to look after ourselves and our friends. If I hadn't of found you and you continued to not look after yourself then you could have died, M. Then what?" Evie asked softly making Mal sign in understanding._

 _"I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking about that, I was just thinking about how I wanted to read and complete that document. I should have been worrying about my health. I'm sorry, Blueberry" Mal apologised as she snuggled closer to the blue-haired princess. "Just don't leave, please. Not until I fall asleep" Mal added as she closed her emerald green eyes._

 _"Of course, dragon. I love you so much and I will never leave you" Evie promised._

* * *

The doors bursting open broke Mal out of her thoughts and forced her to shot up, just in time to feel two small arms wrap around her waist and knock her back down onto the bed. Mal's hearing picked up the quiet sound of crying as she lifted her head up to see Queen Belle, who had just rushed into the room and was now looking at Mal apologetically as she quickly closed the bedrooms doors behind herself. Mal quickly wrapped her arms around the small figure who was currently crying into her chest as she kissed her head softly, looking at Queen Belle and Ben who had moved to allow his mother to sit on the edge of the bed. The first thing Mal noticed about the former queen was that - despite it being the early hours of the morning- she was dressed in a simple black dress that reached below her knees and was covered in a simple lace design that allowed her bare shoulders to show as the lace created a simple neckline. Queen Belle's long brown hair was pulled behind her shoulders with some hairpins while two thick strands from either side of her head created a bun at the back, standing out against the curls of the flowing hair that crusaded down the former queens back.

Ben looked confusingly at his mother who was looking pointedly at Mal who nodded her head solemnly and returned her attention to the crying girl in her arms as she ran her fingers through the girl's long hair. Queen Belle looked towards her son and smiled sadly at her son's questionable face. "What happened, mum?" Ben asked as he and Queen Belle turned their attention towards Mal who was smiling sadly at the little girl in her arms.

"Diz, what happened?" Mal whispered caringly as she looked down at a sobbing little girl in her arms. In any other circumstances, Queen Belle would have found the fact that Mal allowed all her borders to come down within an instant to talk to the little girl to be lovely but as she noticed the look of panic in Mal's eyes when Dizzy didn't answer, she suddenly got the impression that Mal was just as much in pain as Dizzy was. For Mal, a usually distant and unreachable teenager, to be scared, Queen Belle finally realised that Mal didn't have a clue of how to help Dizzy as she cried into Mal's chest.

"Less then half an hour ago, Audrey and Lonnie rushed into my room and said that they couldn't find Dizzy. We looked everywhere and then twenty minutes later we found Dizzy in the rose garden, crying and alone. No one could get close to her without flinching and when we asked where she wanted to go she said she wanted to go to you, Mal" Queen Belle explained as she smiled sadly at Mal. "She hasn't said anything other than that command to anyone. Jane, Lonnie, Audrey and Uma said that they were going to get dressed and then go to their boyfriends as they should be awake at that point. I think Uma had a nightmare as well as she isn't saying much either"

"Thank you, Queen Belle. For looking after her and my friends" Mal thanked as she nodded respectively to the former queen before turning to her concerned boyfriend. "Can you go to the boy's room and tell them that the girls are coming over so they have to get up. It may be early but still" Mal signed in happiness as Ben nodded and gently kissed her checks before saying goodbye to his mother and girlfriend one last time. Ben gently closed the door behind him and descended his bedroom into silence as Mal continued to run her fingers through Dizzy's long hair and Queen Belle watched the two girls with loving eyes.

Silently, Mal extended her arm out towards Queen Belle and looked at the queen pleadingly. Queen Belle smiled and nodded, gently taking Mal's hand in her own as she moved closer to the purple-haired teen who had managed to move up the bed so her back was resting on the headboard with Dizzy curled up to her side. "What do I do? I'm a mess and yet Dizzy is relying on me and everybody else is too" Mal asked quietly as she looked at the former queen with concern etched into her features.

"I know this is going to be hard to believe" Queen Belle started, "but just because it may seem like everyone is staring at you like puppies, waiting for a command. They aren't. Mal, you are in control of your own thoughts, feelings and actions and nothing can change that but you don't control other peoples. Yes, Dizzy looks up to you but she also looks up to Uma, Harry, Jay, Carlos and Gil and herself. Everybody in his world who had experienced the loss of a loved one will tell you that they got through it because they had people around them who helped them but inevitably, it was them who got through it. No matter how much effort you put into it, only Dizzy can control her emotions. No one else. But in the meantime, why don't you ask her what is wrong" Queen Belle suggested.

"Dizzy what's wrong?" Mal asked as she turned her attention towards the little girl in her arms who shock in her head and buried it further into Mal's chest. "It's hard. I know it's hard right now because of everything that happened but Evie always told me that, just like hugging, talking to someone helps. I don't know all the emotions running through your body but I do know that at least one of them is sadness, an emotion I have too. Talk to me, please. Please, Diz" Mal begged. Dizzy slowly raised her head and saw the small tears gathering in Mal's emerald green eyes and she instantly felt bad for making the women she considered her auntie cry out of worry for her wellbeing.

"I'm forgetting her. I'm forgetting her eyes, her smile, her voice. Everything and I'm scared that there will be a day where I can't even remember her personality let alone what she looked like and then I would be alone. She was like my mother and yet I'm already forgetting things about her. And no one understands" Dizzy replied in a quiet voice which made Mal and Queen Belle share a sadden look before turning to the little girl.

"I understand the pain of losing someone I loved and I understand the fear you have after that you will be alone forever. I truly do understand. I think its time for a story" Mal started as she slowly unwrapped her arms from around Dizzy and smiled at her lovingly while Dizzy moved back so she could see Mal fully. Queen Belle smiled as Mal squeezed her hand, silently begging her to stay as started to explain her mother's story.

* * *

 _"Momma" a five-year-old Mal called out as she walked into her home, Bargain Castle, with the usual smirk plastered onto her lips. Mal kicked the rusty door behind her closed and walked into the living room, rolling her eyes in annoyance when she saw that her mother was nowhere to be seen. Mal checked all over the house, the bedrooms, bathrooms and even dining room while she called her mothers name but she heard nothing in response so she went to the kitchen, signing in relief when she saw her mother stood next to the oven with a pair of oven mitts on, waiting patiently for whatever she was baking to be done. "Momma" Mal called again which broke the Mistress Of Evil out of her trance as she smiled softly at her daughter, walking towards the little girl before kneeling in front of her, taking off the oven mitts and placing them on the counter as she did so._

 _"Hello, my Beasty" Maleficent greeted which made Mal smirk at the old nickname. She didn't know where her mother had got it but she knew it had to do with someone her mother loved from the last time she and her mother sat down and talked. Maleficent usually told Mal the story of how she ended up on the Isle Of The Lost but she never told the story in full, opting to only tell Mal parts each year on her birthday so the five-year-old could grow up with the story as she did. "Ready for the story," Maleficent asked as she gently wrapped her arms around her daughter and pulled her up, placing the purple-haired girl onto the counter as Mal nodded enthusiastically. "Okay, so where were we?"_

 _"You had your first kiss with King Stephan but then he changed into a vain man who cut off your wings" Mal responded truthfully which made Maleficent smile and nod in understanding- like an old memory had been hit back into her brain. It may seem strange that the Mistress Of Evil and her daughter were acting so nice to each other, even though Maleficent was supposed to be the worst and evilest villain to exist, but behind the closed doors, Mal and her mother shared a strong and loving mother-daughter relationship at the early stages of the purple-haired girls life -before everything got complicated and expectations started to be enforced._

 _"Okay, so after my wings were cut off, Stephan became king and married the princess. A couple of years later, the two had a beautiful baby girl named?" Maleficent paused as she looked at Mal who was biting her bottom lip, a nervous habit the two fairies shared when they were thinking. Maleficent smiled as she mouthed 'Aurora' which made Mal squeal the name loudly, smiling proudly when her mother nodded and laughed quietly. "Yes, her name was Aurora. But I was not invited to her christening so I cursed her that on her sixteenth birthday, she would prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a death-like sleep until someone gave the kiss of true love"_

 _"After that, the king, so consumed with range, shut himself up and ordered that Aurora would be sent to live with three fairies until she became sixteen and a day years old. But of course, I knew where she was and watched over her. Diablo, my most trustworthy of companions, would watch over Aurora and make sure she survived with those dimwitted faires" Mal laughed at her mother's words quietly but continued to listen intently as her mother continued, "One day, when Aurora was around your age, she wandered off and almost fell off a cliff but I used my magic and saved her. She was so beautiful -just like you- and she even thought I was her Godmother. She had the nickname Beasty as well" Maleficent finished with a small laugh as she watched Mal's features morph into one of confusion upon hearing that Aurora was also called 'Beasty' by her mother._

 _"But I'm the only Beasty that you love now right?" Mal asked spectacly as she raised an eyebrow at her mother, which caused the Mistress Of Evil to laugh quietly at her daughters attempt to be intimidating. Maleficent nodded which made Mal sign in happiness while she tilted her head to the side and looked at her mother confusingly. "Momma, what would happen if you were free and you saw Aurora again?" Mal asked innocently which caused Maleficent to smile at the thought._

 _"I would tell her 'thank you'" Maleficent replied without a moment's hesitation, "Without her, I would of never have gotten my wings back even if they were taken away from me when I got here. She was like a daughter to me and I wish every day that I could see her and that you, my darling child, could meet her. But remember what I said, 'that you only love the people you need too'" Maleficent added lovingly, her eyes filled with utter devotion and love as she gazed at her daughter._

 _"But, why Momma?" Mal asked as she looked up at her mother, "You say that the world is cruel and that people can be vain, but why can't we change that and love each other?" Mal added which made Maleficent smile softly. She knew that if she was talking to Aurora, the princess would reply with the same logic and that made Maleficent happy to know her daughter was growing up to be like someone who was so kind and trustworthy. Maleficent didn't know how to raise a child and sometimes her anger got the better of her, but she did truly love Mal and only wanted the best for her -even if her actions didn't quite represent her emotions._

 _"Love is a weakness I have experienced, my child" Maleficent signed heavily, "I had to leave my darling Beasty behind in Auradon for her to deal with the struggles of life without a friend or helping hand and I regret that every day but my love for her made that even harder. I love you, my darling daughter, but you must not love me or anyone else. For if you do, people will use that and possibly hurt you" Maleficent added sadly. "You are young so don't make the mistakes I once did and learn to never love people- for love if one of the cruellest things in the world"_

 _"Okay Momma" Mal vowed that day that she would learn everything there was to know about her mother's story and learn from her mistakes. Mal would grow up to have a heart of gold but after living with Maleficent, that heart was covered with a thick layer of hatred for love and the Auradonioans who ripped her mother away from the Sleeping Beauty she resembled so much of. Maleficent loved her daughter more then anyone could possibly imagine and it broke her heart to hurt her daughter but she knew that if she didn't, Mal would love her and that would be a weakness._

 _Maleficent knew that if she and Mal took over Auradon, then Mal would become the kind and loving women she was destined to be and Maleficent knew that people would use that and place Mal in difficult positions where she would have to choose between herself and her mother. Maleficent knew that she was preparing her daughter to make the decision that would save herself and kill her mother. That was a choice Maleficent was more than happy to make._

 _Maleficent did want what's best for Mal and when the purple-haired teen got an invitation to go to Auradon, Maleficent wanted to get Fairy Godmother's wand so she could rule the Isle Of The Lost and Auradon together -allowing the older fairy to give Mal everything she couldn't provide when the two were locked away on the Isle. Maleficent truly did want what's best for Mal -like any mother would for their daughter or son- but in her actions of trying to make sure that Mal was safe, she ended up pushing the purple-haired girl away from her and her affections altogether. And that was something she regretted every day._

* * *

"She was the most loving, caring and trustworthy mother I could have ever asked for but then, as time went on and she lost faith in the fact that she would get to see her precious Aurora again, she became this shell of a person and stopped caring about me. Stopped loving me" Mal continued as she looked down at Dizzy's surprised eyes, smiling softly as small tears rolled down her eyes. "In a way, I lost my mother the day she became a monster but you haven't lost your mother, not really. Yes, she is physically gone and that pains me to say, but she is never gone. She is watching over you and everyone else because she loves you too much to leave you alone in this world" Mal added

"And even if you do forget her beautiful laugh or dazzling smile or the way her eyes light up whenever you were mentioned or walked into the room. If you forget all that, Evie will always be with you in your heart because Evie's smile, laugh and eyes didn't make her the amazing person who was lucky enough to call you her family. Her happiness and determination to make sure that she succeeded so she could be someone all of us were proud off; those personality traits made her the girl we knew and love. And yes, there will be times where you forget her face or the way she laughed, but as long as you stay with the people you love and who love you, you will never truly forget her. She wanted you to be happy and if you are, I truly believe that she -from wherever she is now- will smile knowing that you are the amazing and beautiful young girl she raised you to be" Mal continued as she wiped away the small tears that had started to fall from her eyes.

Mal didn't know if she was correct or if what she was saying was wrong, but at that moment, right and wrong didn't matter and all that mattered was making sure that Dizzy knew that just because she was forgetting small parts of her mother's features, she wasn't losing her mother altogether. Mal knew that her mother didn't love her like she used to but she knew that if she could convince Dizzy that the only thing that mattered right now was making sure that she knew that Evie was watching after her, she would be a better person and hopefully one Maleficent could be proud of. The night before, Mal's dreams were plagued with the few minutes before Evie's fate was sealed, where Uma had denounced Ursula as her mother and stood up to her.

 _"And you are no mother of mine" Uma shouted back, shocking her mother but made Mal and Evie smile at her- as they understood how hard it was to stand up against your own mother or anyone close to her. "A mother is caring, loving and gentle and you are none of those things! I am no villain but I am no hero either. I am Uma, sister of Oceana and Pearl and Princess of the Isle and you are nothing but the women who gave birth to me"_

At that moment, Mal was proud of her best friend and how she was able to finally stand up to Ursula and reclaim back her life from Ursula's iron grip but it did make Mal wonder. _Did she really want to disown her mother from her life and affections or did she want to try and remember the good times the two shared and work to fix the broken relationship the two shared?_ She knew that it wouldn't be easy to face her mother, after all the years of abuse and scars her mother gave her, but she did want to imagine a life where her mother was somewhat involved. Although she knew that she wouldn't be able to see her mother with all of the stuff that was happening now, at some point Mal did want to talk to her mother and ask why she changed. The first memories Mal stored in her kind revolted around her mother -not as the Mistress Of All Evil but as a woman who was raising her only child alone, without anyone there to help her- and they were nice memories but the older Mal got, the more violence and anger seemed to seep into her memories until they became nightmares that she could not escape from. It may seem crazy, but Mal knew that under the hard exterior her mother built up, was a woman who honestly cared for her daughter. Mal may not have known why her mother built the high wall around her heart, but she was determined to find out.

"I have people in my life that are like a second mother to me" Mal continued as she looked over at Queen Belle who was smiling proudly at the teenager. "And I know that no one can replace Evie for you and I'm not suggesting that you just replace her because I know that you could never after what the two of you went through, but know that its okay to have other family members who you are close to. If anything, Evie would be happy that you are happy. That's all she ever wanted" Mal concluded as she looked towards a teary-eyed Dizzy.

Dizzy quickly wiped her eyes as she moved closer to the purple-haired teen, wrapped her arms around Mal's waist as she snuggled closer to the older girl. Mal smiled as she wrapped her arms around Dizzy's small frame and brought the little girl closer, resting her chin on top of Dizzy's head as she smiled at Queen Belle, holding out her hand for the queen to take. Queen Belle's smiled widened as she gently clasped her hand in Mal's, moving closer to the two girls as she ran her fingers through Mal's long purple hair while the purple-haired teen leaned against the queen tiredly.

A small knock broke the three girls out of their silence as Queen Belle turned to see Uma's worried filled eyes as the daughter of the sea-witch walked slowly into the room, smiling softly at Dizzy as she cuddled into Mal's chest. Queen Belle smiled softly at the teenager and noticed that she hadn't come alone, as a pair of clicking, black heels became louder and louder as Audrey walked into the room slowly, smiling softly at the former queen as she and Uma stopped at the base of the unmade bed. Audrey was dressed in a plain, black peter-pan dress that had a thin, black belt wrapped around the princesses petite waist and three-quarter sleeves made of the finest black lace. Her long, brown hair was pinned behind her shoulders with a golden pin which had small, pink flowers on it, and was her long locks were curled into elegant beach waves. A gold bracelet was wrapped around Audrey's wrist that was made entirely of gold, with gold-plated leaves and enchanting gold-flowers which shimmered in the mornings light and contained the most beautiful pink diamonds within the centre of the flowers.

Queen Belle had seen the charming somewhere before -she knew she had- but at the time it wasn't a bracelet at all. Queen Belle had just given birth to a healthy baby Ben when she first saw the tiara sitting elegantly on top of Aurora's head at Ben's christening, with Aurora being nine months pregnant at the time with Audrey. No one knew the real origins of the tiara, not even Queen Leah who simply said that it was a gift off of a family friend who was no longer living in Auradon -as that was the only thing Aurora told her mother about her favourite tiara. Queen Belle suspected that the princess had gotten the Three Good Fairies -Flora, Fauna and Merryweather- to spell her tiara so Audrey could wear it once she was grown-up and not have to worry about anyone stealing it because it was magically locked on her wrist until Audrey herself took it off.

Uma was dressed quite similarly to the princess stood next to her. Her long blue and teal hair was back in their normal braids -thanks to Uma's magic- and were pulled back into a bun which allowed half of her braids to be up and then the other half run down her back. Her black dress was figure-hugging and ended just below her knee's, allowing her bare legs to show before her feet and ankles were encased in a pair of black heels that added almost three, whole inches onto the small girl's height. The whole dress was covered in detailed, black lace and her heart-neckline allowed everyone to see the enchanting almost transparent, blue pearls that hung around Uma's neck. Normally, the necklace would be tucked safely away in Uma's room on the Isle -or more currently, in the teen's trouser pocket- but today she was proudly displaying the necklace. The blue pearls were simple but the small locket in the middle of the necklace was what Uma loved most about the necklace as it was shaped like a golden heart. Uma remembered the day the locket had been given to her like it was yesterday.

* * *

 _"He broke up with me" Uma muttered softly as she wrapped her arms around her own knee's, pulling them closer to her chest as she tried to stop the tears that were falling down her face. She was currently in her room, alone, and sat on her perfectly-made bed in the centre of the back wall, her back resting against the headboard as she shook her head slowly in disbelief. Oceana, Harris, Pearl and all of Uma's friends had been trying to talk to Uma and understand what happened -because she hadn't spoken to them at all before she ran up to her room, hoping and praying that they didn't see the tears falling from her brown eyes but sadly they did and they hadn't stopped trying to talk to her since- but none of them could get Uma to respond to any of the questions._

 _"Uma" a new voice called out this time, despair and sadness ringing through the person's voice which made Uma's heartbreak more. All the other voices stopped apart from that one and Uma presumed it was because she was supposed to be with her 'distant cousins' that weekend and not at Oceana's castle trying to talk to Uma. Uma felt terrible about interrupting her sisters limited time with her 'cousins', knowing that her mother didn't like the idea of her daughter hanging around them. "Uma, I know you. You would much rather cry in your room -alone, cold and scared- then let Oceana, Pearl or anyone else see your cry. But if you want, you and I can talk and cry together if you want"_

 _"Evie, I'm fine" Uma called back, her voice cracking as she heard a loud sign erupt from behind the door. Evie signed as she looked back at her friends and smiled mischievously before reaching towards her hair and taking out a small, gold hairpin which made her hair fall down her face. Evie tucked her hair behind her ear before turning towards the door and picking the lock to Uma's bedroom, signing in relief when after five minutes, the door clicked and opened slightly._

 _"Just give me and Uma a little bit of time and then I will come to find you guys. Meanwhile Oceana can you get me two bowls of chocolate covered fruit -Uma's favourite would be amazing" Evie requested kindly which made the queen nod in agreement before she and everyone else walked down the corridors and towards the kitchen, smiling gratefully at Evie as they passed the blue-haired princess. Evie smiled as she opened the door and walked into the room, turning on the lights after noticing that they were off, and closing her door behind her as she moved towards Uma's bed. After crossing the bedroom and sitting down on Uma's large, teal-coloured bed, the blue-haired princess extended her arms out towards the crying teenager and smiled softly when Uma moved to wrapped her arms around Evie's waist and cuddled into the princess, not caring if she looked weak in front of Evie or not._

 _"Oh, honey" Evie whispered as she gently ran her fingers through Uma's long braids, already feeling Uma's tears as they fell from the dark brown eyes of the sea-witch. "You are so amazing, he didn't deserve you" Evie already knew that Fylnn had broken up with Uma from the gossiping trowls that hung around the dock after they started to say that Uma was 'weak'. After a couple of threats from Evie, the trowl's knew that Uma wasn't weak and was probably telling everyone about Uma's strength if they listened to Evie's threatening words -she had threatened to poison them if she heard one more rumour that painted Uma as anything less then strong and fierce._

 _"You are beautiful, strong, smart and amazing and if anyone says anything other then those adjectives then they will have to personally deal with me" Evie continued as she gently pulled Uma away from her, still keeping her arms wrapped around the sea-witches daughter as Evie gently wiped away the large tears that were falling down Uma's face. "That monster didn't deserve you and if you think for a minute that this is your fault then you are one-hundred per cent wrong. He was the one to make the mistake and hurt you and the only reason I'm not down at the Fish Chip Shop right now, dealing with him myself, is because my sister needs my help. You and everyone who was stood outside the doors for an hour are my number one priority right now and for the rest of my life"_

 _"How did you do it?" Uma asked quietly as she moved closer to Evie again and pulled the blue-haired princess into a tight hug. "You make it seem like breaking up with someone isn't the same as someone ripping out your heart and tearing it in half in front of you. It hurts so much, Evie. I can't do this, not again" Uma muttered as she snuggled closer to Evie, her arms tightening around the princesses waist as silent tears made their way down Uma's face._

 _"I was trained for years by mother that this is a man's world -where only the most powerful survive. I hid my tears with makeup and a fake, dimwitted smile that fooled all the boys into dating me. I made sure that I didn't get attached -didn't kiss them back very much, didn't stare into their eyes, didn't hold their hand. I dated them and then bumped them, moving onto the next boy just so my mother was happy -like I was this robot she could control" Evie replied in an emotionless voice, "I'm not even sure I have a heart anymore after the years of going through the same painful routine but I have survived and I will until my dying days with that monster of a women I call my mother. But you, Uma, are nothing like me and for that I am grateful. You have so much hope for the world and for the people in it that I know you will make an amazing queen someday, but there will be dangers and pain along the way that myself, Mal, Oceana or Harris can't shield you from. You just have to make sure that you get out the other side so we can fix you up. After all, isn't that what family is about? Loving, caring and protecting each other from the dangers of the outside world?" Evie continued as she gently kissed Uma's head, smiling softly when Uma nodded in agreement._

 _"Don't tear yourself done, though. You are beautiful and I want to give you something to remind you of that" Evie slowly unwrapped her arms from around Uma and moved backwards, putting a small distance between herself and the sea-witches daughter as she smiled widely at the other teenager. Evie reached upwards and towards her neck, gently unclasping the blue, pearl necklace that was dangling from around her own neck. Uma gasped at the almost transparent pearls that seemed to sparkle in the bright lighting coming from the chandelier in the middle of the room, and the small, heart-shaped locket in the middle of the necklace that had a small, black diamonds in the centre. "I have had this necklace for a long time, since before I can remember, and I have hidden it from my mother all these years" Evie started to explain as she carefully held the necklace in her hands, running her fingers over the glowing pearls._

 _"The person -a dear friend of mine- who gave me the necklace said that the pearls are from the deepest parts of The Lake Of The Lost Souls in the Underworld and are, therefore, magical. They are said that if you ever feel alone or scared, these pearls will sparkle with the souls of the most amazing people in the lake that are willing to help you. Of course, it doesn't work here but it will in Auradon, when Oceana, Pearl, Mal and yourself take over and rule with mercy, justice and strength" Evie smiled at the idea of her friends ruling Auradon -where she would finally be able to make her mother proud and marry a prince and get her own 'happily ever after' in a castle with lots and lots of mirrors!_

 _In respect to the necklace, almost all of what Evie told Uma about the necklace was true -the pearls had indeed come from the Lake Of Lost Souls. But they weren't connecting to the lake as Evie had explained. The pearls were actually connected to the royal family of the Underworld and were the quickest and easiest way to the Underworld Evie could find on the Isle and was a gift from her father. Evie learnt that the pearls were a distress signal, that if she or whoever was wearing the necklace and the people surrounding it was in enough pain or trouble, the pearls would send a message to the royal family of the Underworld and Evie's family, informing them of the trouble the person was in. Evie hadn't used the necklace often as a distress beacon, realising that she could deal with her mother's torments for as long as she had to so her Underworld family didn't find out and worry about her. So far it had worked well. Her fathers side of the family were none the wiser about Evie's true relationship with her mother and they had no idea about the foodless nights she spent at her mother's castle or the bruises that littered her pale skin._

 _Evie also lied about the necklaces origins as the necklace wasn't given to Evie by a friend but instead, her father had given her the necklace one of the first times Evie had visited him and his new family. It was something special to her, but after her mother banished her from seeing her father and anyone related to him again, the necklace turned into a painful reminder of the person she had to leave. It seemed like all her life involved leaving people except the person she really wanted to escape from. Evie knew that if she got rid of her necklace and gave it to someone she trusted, then she would be able to listen to her mother better and get through the next couple of years without feeling the pain of disappointing her mother, before she ran off, married a prince and went back to being able to see her father again -without the worry of whether The Evil Queen was happy or not._

 _"The necklace has a small locket on it with some writing engraved in it" Evie noted as she slowly opened up the locket, exposing the beautifully written words that were engraved within the solid gold of the heart. Uma gasped as she read the words, tears welling up in her eyes again as she smiled softly at Evie who had her own tears in her eyes. "It says_ 'The saddest thing a girl can do is dumb herself down for a guy' _and I really want you to have it. I spent my whole life changing myself for a guy I didn't even love and I don't want you to do the same. You are so smart, Uma, don't throw that away for some stupid guy who didn't even deserve you" Evie added as she nodded her head to the side._

 _Uma smiled gratefully and turned around, moving her hair to the side as Evie slowly placed the necklace around Uma's neck and clasped it and the back, letting the golden heart drop as Uma turned to look at a smiling Evie. "There we go, now you look like a true princess" Evie commented, trying to keep in her own emotions. In her mind, Evie thought that giving up her necklace would be easy but after feeling the weird sensation of not having the necklace, she felt the need to have it back. But she knew that she couldn't. So instead, she admired her necklace dangling from around Uma's neck as the daughter of the sea-witch wiped away her own tears. "And you deserve as much of a prince as any of the Auradonian princesses"_

* * *

"I'm sorry if we interrupted something" Audrey commented, breaking Uma out of her train of thought as she gently clasped the golden locket of her late sisters necklace that hung around her neck. Uma smiled at the memory of her and her sister, enjoying the few precious memories that she held dear to her mind as she looked down at the small locket in her hands. She missed her sister, of course, but having Evie's locket near to her heart made it easier to deal with the stabbing pain in her chest that only seemed to worsen with time. "Uma and I were going to go down for some breakfast" Audrey continued, breaking Uma out of her train of thought as she looked up and smiled at the princess in agreement. "We wanted to see if you guys wanted to join us. The boys are already there with Lonnie, Jane and King Adam but they said they would wait for you guys" Audrey added, breaking Uma out of her thoughts as she looked up at the three's smiling faces.

"That would be lovely. Thank you, Audrey" Queen Belle thanked as she looked towards the two other girls, smiling softly when Mal nodded slowly in agreement with the former queen. Dizzy tightened her arms around Mal, not wanting to go outside and see people if that meant that she had to lie to people when they asked her how she was feeling. In Dizzy's mind, she just wanted to stay with Mal and fall asleep, feeling the calming motions of Mal's fingers running through her hair as she signed in contentment.

Audrey looked down at Dizzy and smiled sweetly, noticing the way Dizzy hugged Mal closer and shook her head softly as Mal kissed the top of her head and ran her fingers through the little girl's hair. Audrey walked to the other side of the bed and sat down, her legs crossed and a hand rested on her knee as she smiled at the little girl in Mal's arms who eyed the princess sceptically, wondering what the princess was doing as Audrey smiled softly at her. "I know you don't want to go downstairs and that it will be hard but you have Mal and Uma by your side and all the people downstairs are like your family. And you can trust me, as a person who has seen Mal eat a jelly doughnut, the only thing you have to worry about it Mal getting food all over her outfit" Audrey joked as she looked up at Mal, who laughed and tilted her head to the side, playfully glaring at Audrey who smiled in response.

"And after breakfast, I'm sure that Queen Belle would love to show you around the library or you and Carlos could play with Dude in the rose gardens. You don't have to be afraid of the emotions coursing through you that are going to make you feel really bad. They are just there to remind you that you are human and that you are allowed to feel emotions -both good and bad ones" Audrey added as she gently moved some of Dizzy's hair behind her ear, leaving her hand on Dizzy's check as she smiled softly at the little girl. "So, how about you and Mal get dressed and we have a massive breakfast with pancakes and Ice Cream. I'm sure that if you ask Queen Belle and nicely, they will allow you to have some strawberries and chocolate as well"

And for the first time since Evie's fate was sealed, Dizzy smiled gratefully at the princess in front of her. She knew that it wasn't going to be easy but just like Audrey said, she had all of her friends and family to support her through it. And that was all Dizzy ever wanted.

* * *

Mrs Pott's placed the last plate down on the dining room table as the teenagers and adults talked amongst themselves, thanking the old women as she smiled sadly at the teenagers -having heard about the events at Cotillion and the fate of the blue-haired princess from King Adam earlier that day. Dizzy smiled gratefully at Mrs Pott's as the older women placed a plate of two, perfectly-cooked pancakes and a bowl full of ripe strawberries in front of the young girl who was sat in between Mal and Uma, both of the thanking Mrs Pott's kindly. Mal smiled at the older lady and started to cut up her pancakes, being careful of the beautiful black dress she was wearing. Her vintage, black and white dress was high-waisted and simple, with the top half having a 'v' neckline and no sleeves and the bottom fanning out into a round skirt. The top half of the dress was plain black while the skirt was printed to have a rose design on it in white which stood out against the black background. Her dolly-shoes were plain black and had a small heel that added a couple of inches onto Mal's height, something the short girl was slightly happy. Mal's long purple hair was pulled back into half-up, half down hairstyle with half of her hair thrown into a tight bun at the back of her head while the other half of her hair was curled and left to flow down the girls back in subtle beach waves.

Dizzy smiled as she looked down at her own outfit, her fingers running over the silky fabric of the black skirt and towards the excess ribbon that came from the bow tied around her waist. The black, vintage dress had a simple neckline and three-quarter sleeves that were a deep black, darker than the night sky that Dizzy remembers staring at all of last night instead of sleeping. Dizzy's dolly-shoes hit against the back of her chair as Dizzy swung her feet back and forth, her long hair swaying side to side as Dizzy slowly leaned forward and backwards, looking at the food in front of her questioningly.

"Hey" Mal whispered as she looked concerningly at the little girl, her smile small and king while she placed her hand on Dizzy's, squeezing it reassuringly from under the table. "You okay? You haven't eaten a thing yet" Mal continued quietly as her eyes filled with concern. Dizzy nodded and smiled in response, slowly taking the metal fork in her unused hand and beginning to eat some of the ripe strawberries while the steaming pancakes cooled down. Mal smiled and slowly let go of Dizzy's hand and continued eating her own food, talking quietly to Ben as the young king talked to his father who was sat at the head of the table.

"Princess Audrey" Mrs Pott's walked back into the room and towards the daughter of Sleeping Beauty who turned in her chair to face the older women. Audrey's smile faded when she saw the older women's concerned and worried face, causing all the conversations to stop at the table as they watched Mrs Pott's concerningly. "Your mother is on the phone. She wants to speak to you" Mrs Pott's added which caused King Adam to frown, already knowing what the princess wanted her daughter for. King Adam had told Aurora and Dopey about the incident -expressing the importance of the press not finding out very clearly to the two parents- after his wife said that parents should know so they can be prepared for if -and when in Doug's case- they return home.

"Oh," Audrey replied as she turned to Queen Belle, smiling sadly at the former queen, "May I just take this?" Audrey asked, smiling gratefully when Queen Belle smiled at the teenager and nodded. Mrs Pott's handed Audrey the phone as the princess smiled gratefully. Mrs Potts smiled back and curtsied -even though King Adam and Queen Belle had told their old friend, not to almost every day- and left the room, returning to the kitchen to help Lumiere and Clocksworth with the remaining courses of breakfast. After all, none of the adults or teenagers had eaten a lot since yesterday's breakfast and Mrs Pott's was adamant to make up for the loss, something Mal and Uma were quite happy about because it meant that Dizzy was eating enough food of the day.

 _"Mamma, I don't think"_ Audrey started once she placed the phone next to her ear. The whole table fell dead silent as they heard the concerned filled voice of Sleeping Beauty on the other end of the line as she continued to talk, cutting off her daughters attempts to add any information as Audrey signed. _"No, but... Yes, mamma, I know that... I'm not a little girl... We are all safe... Yes, I will tell her... What?... I look forward to it... Okay, mamma, but I have to go. I will see you in a second"_ Audrey slowly pulled the phone away from her ear and signed, cancelling the call as she placed her elbows on the table and her head in her hand, signing loudly as she bit the corner of her lip.

"Audrey, dear, what's wrong?" Queen Belle asked concerningly as she tilted her head to the side. Audrey signed as she leaned back in her chair and moved a piece of hair behind her ear, smiling at the queen before turning her attention to Mal who raised her eyebrows at the princess opposite her.

"My mothers coming. With my father, grandmother and... grandfather" Audrey signed as Mal's eyes widened in shock. Mal looked towards Ben and shook her head, gently grabbing the kings hand in reassurance as Audrey looked apologetically at Mal.

"I guess I'm meeting the Beauty family" Mal replied as she smiled and nodded towards Audrey, silently telling the princess to calm down and she was alright. Mal breathed in deeply as she picked up her fork and picked up a strawberry, biting some of the fruit as the others on the table looked at the teenager weirdly. "Honestly, I'm fine. I must tell Mrs Potts that these strawberries are beautiful. They are amazing" Mal gushed as everyone eyed the teenager worriedly. They knew how Mal felt about meeting the Beauty family, after hearing amazing stories from her mother and how they were lovely people -well apart from King Stephan and Queen Leah- but she was also scared that the stories were true and that the few memories she did share with her mother that were happy were lies. Mal knew that she couldn't judge people before meeting them but she allowed herself to have her fears, the fear of being blamed for her mother's actions was one of her biggest fears, but it also scared the teen that Aurora wouldn't want to see her. As one of Audrey's closest friends, Mal wanted to get along with the girl's parents and learn embarrassing stories from them that Audrey was to shy to reveal.

No one noticed, but the light blue pearls around Uma's neck glowed lightly as Mal worried about all the things that could go wrong when meeting the Beauty family.


	27. Anxiety attack or vision?

After a large and fulfilling breakfast -courteous of Mrs Pott's who refused to let any of the teenagers go hungry and leave the table until their plates were at least half clean- the teenagers and former-royals moved to the living room of the castle, which was a large but also cosy room with high walls and large windows. The room itself was a rectangular shape, the length of which was longer than any room the VK's had ever seen and was covered in plain white walls that were bordered with dark wood. At the end of the room, were two large windows that were the height of the room and also bordered with dark wood as they looked out towards the beautiful rose garden that was outside of the castle. The windows parted to allow a cobblestone fireplace to stand out of the wall, its flame shining against the gold border while a large portrait of the royal family hung proudly above it, the gold-plated figures of the royal families close friends -like Lumiere, Clocksworth and Mrs Pott's- from when they were trapped in their enchanted state by the beautiful Enchantress who made King Adam into a beast all those years ago, standing happily on the wooden mantlepiece of the fireplace. The cream coloured carpet held three sofa's that created three out of the four sides of a square, allowing the fireplace to complete the north side as the dark sofa's surrounded a glass table in the centre of the square. Small, circular tables stood next to each sofa, connecting the squares and held vases of blue and gold flowers that sparkled with a thousand specks of Pixie Dust as the sun shone on them through the large windows of the living room. Two small armchairs sat face to face in front of the fireplace and were the same dark colour as the sofa and the wood that bordered the walls and were framed with white wood to match the washed out cobblestone pebbles that made up the fireplaces wall.

The quiet sound of the crackling of the light fire filled the end of the room filled the teenagers and former leaders ears as they sat in silence, with some of the girls reading some of the books from the small library that was located on the east wall of the room and others resting their tired head on their significant others shoulder as the other ran their fingers through their hair. The purple-hair teenager of Maleficent sat with her knee's brought close to her chest, her back leaning against Ben's arm as he wrapped his arm loosely around her neck and played with a small piece of Mal's hair, partly reading the book in Mal's hands as she flipped through the many pages of text -her eyes increasing and decreasing in size as she started fixating at the elegantly written words on the faded pages that Queen Belle had given her to read once they had entered the living room. The book -entitled ' _The Island At The End Of Everything'_ \- was new and unheard of to Mal but the teen had already read over fifty pages in the half an hour the teen had been reading the book in and it was fair to say that she was loving the book. Next to Ben was Uma as she too read a small book about the history of Pixie Hollow in Neverland, inwardly cringing at the language used to describe Captain James Hook which was far from the truth as the author wrote about Captian James Hook's cheating ways and sly tactics in which he used to fight the young Peter Pan.

Although she knew that Captian Hook was a cheat and a rascal at times, he also valued honour and dignity -always telling stories to Oceana, Pearl, Uma, Harry and his sisters about the importance of fighting with grace and dignity and admitting when he lost- and he never once boasted about the rare fights he won against Peter Pan and instead, training to get better so one day he may teach Peter Pan the importance of honour and dignity like his father had before him. Captain Hook was the first one to teach Oceana and Uma how to sword fight like a true Princess and Queen Of The Isle Of The Lost and be able to lose with grace and dignity, which he had many years ago. Thanks to Captain Hook, Uma was one of the best sword-fighters on the Isle Of The Lost, Oceana learned how to navigate the sea and land to find the best route to an area and Pearl was able to learn exciting stories about daring pirates from far off places, where they called the crashing waves and clear sky's their home for their whole lives until being trapped on the Isle Of The Lost. It hurt Uma to know that the most caring person in her life was being portrayed so wrongly in a book that claimed to be 'historically accurate'. It made her wonder if Auradon had gotten any other stories wrong due to the stereotype that everything a villain did was wrong and evil.

Lucky, Harry was to distracted with Uma's long braids to notice the lies sprawled out over the pages of writing as he played with the loose braids of Uma's hair, twisting them between his fingers as his other arm wrapped around Uma's shoulders and pulled her closer to him causing her to rest her head on the First Mate's chest as he watched the flickering flames of the fireplace's fire. Carlos and Jane were sat opposite the couple, with Jane leaned against the arm of the sofa, her feet resting in Carlos' lap as the son of Cruella DeVil traced small circles on his girlfriend's ankle while she read one of her school books about her fae history and the magic that comes along with the legacy. Jane always knew she was a fae, but she never explored her magical abilities until Mal arrived and showed her the good ways in which her magic could be used to help people in her kingdom. Ever since then, Jane has been fixated about learning how to control and manipulate her magic to create large carriages made of glass and gold from a pumpkin and a beautiful blue dress out of a ripped, pink gown. Of course, she was still learning but enjoyed the challenge and wanted to get a head start on her magical studious next year so -Zeus forbid- if something like Cotillion happened again, Jane was able to do more then create a barrier around a ship to protect her friends and could possibly save their life.

Next to Carlos sat Lonnie who had her head resting lazily on Jay's shoulder as he held a book about Lonnie's mother, Fa Mulan, and her extraordinary story of how she defeated the Hun's and saved China, becoming the wife to General Li Shang in the process which was utterly unplanned and in Lonnie's opinion, made it even better. Lonnie had heard the story a thousand times before from different people in her family -Uncle Mushu's version always being her favourite as the dragon always over-exaggerated every detail of the story- and was hesitant to read another version of the story, already knowing that some details were going to be changed, but eventually Jay had persuaded her and she had to agree after seeing his small pout and puppy-dog eyes. Lonnie smiled each time Jay pointed to a detail and looked up at her, silently asking whether or not that detail was real and allowing her to explain the real detail of the story. Jay listened intently to Lonnie's words and nodded along with the information which made Lonnie smile as she placed a gentle kiss on Jay's shoulder, nudging her head further into Jay's neck as he flipped over to the next page of the book where Fa Mulan had just shot the cannon at the mountain and made an avalanche fall on top of the Hun's.

Sat in one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace was Audrey as she knitted, a habit she had required from her mother whenever she wanted to feel close to her family or was upset about the past events in her life. Most people her age didn't understand the habit and found other ways to cope with stress -like having a night out with friends or posting a picture on InstaRoyals, watching the likes and bow's increase with each passing second from their 'subjects'- but it never seemed to calm Audrey down as much as knitting did. She learnt from her mother, who was taught by her mother before her, and it had become a family tradition to teach the new generation -regardless of their gender- how to knit, cook and fire arrows in case of an attack on the kingdom. The last one was added when Audrey was born because she was a girl so she needed to know how to lead an army to victory if an attack on her kingdom ever happened and since then, it became a tradition for all the people in Audrey's family to know how to fight with a bow and arrow, sword and their fists if needs be.

Crossed legged on the floor next to her, sat Gil, holding an easier book then what everyone else was reading -due to his lack of reading and writing skills- as he leaned his arm on the chair and placed his head on the comfy fabric of the chair as he read his book. Every once in a while, he would gently poke Audrey's leg and point to a word, silently asking either what that word meant or what it read. Either way, Audrey would smile kindly and tell Gil the answer, placing a quick kiss on his forehead when Gil would repeat her and continue reading, too engrossed in his book to notice the sweet and caring glance Audrey would shot her boyfriend before returning to her knitting. It bothered Audrey that Gil didn't know how to read but it made her smile at the thought that at least Gil was trying to learn and was already quickly picking up on patterns that took Audrey a few years to learn herself.

And sat in the last remaining sofa was the two former rulers of Auradon and Dizzy as the little girl marvelled over the beautiful suits and enchanting dresses that filled Evie's fashion book from in her dorm room -that Queen Belle had got from the room after dropping Doug and Princess Melody off at Auradon Prep. Dizzy made a promise as she sat in between Queen Belle and King Adam that she would not allow Evie's legacy to die along with her and instead, continue it on through the regal clothes that would portray Evie's vision perfectly. Dizzy wanted to make sure that everyone in Auradon still thought of Evie as an amazing designer, even if she was no longer able to make dresses or designs, and they only had the remaining couple of notebooks left that was filled to the brim with designs with exquisite detail on each button, stitch and neckline.

Queen Belle had an arm wrapped loosely around Dizzy as the little girl flipped slowly through the pages of Evie's designs as she smiled and pointed out the small details on each of the outfits to the former queen. King Adam was sat next to the two girls, a small smile on his lips as he heard numerous tiny gasps of awe from Dizzy and small laughs from his wife as he scrolled through his emails on his phone, answering the seemingly endless amount emails about Cotillion that the press had already sent the former king to answer. Most of the questions contained questions about the whereabouts of the blue-haired teenager who did not get off of the Cotillion boat with her friends and those were left until he could talk to the teenagers in the room without Dizzy being near so she didn't get upset with the topic of conversation.

Suddenly, the living room doors opened and closed, allowing a sad looking Lumiere to walk into the room and towards Queen Belle who was still giving Dizzy all of her attention as the little girl gushed over Evie's designs. Some of the most trusted of the royal families staff knew about Evie's fate after they heard on the news about the questions raised on Evie's location. Lumiere was closest to Evie because of the princesses determination and humour that was much like Lumiere's which meant that the two often bonded over tea and biscuits when all the work in the castle was completed and it was too late to either return back to school or to their own chambers in the castle. Lumiere had grown quite fond of the blue-haired princess that frequently visited the castle so her sudden death both shocked and saddened him immensely.

Lumiere walked to Queen Belle's side and bent down, coughing slightly to get the former queen's attention as Queen Belle smiled and turned around in her seat, her smile growing at the sight of her old friend. "Madame" Lumiere greeted with a bow of his head, unable to look Queen Belle in the eyes as Queen Belle turned around in her seat and placed her hand on Lumiere's shoulder kindly, silently encouraging him to continue on with what he was saying. "The Beauty Family has arrived and wishes to speak to you and Princess Audrey along with the VK's" announced Lumiere as he stood up straight, his eyes moving to Mal who was still engrossed in her book to even notice the new arrival in the room. Lumiere didn't mind though and after bending his neck slightly to see the small imprint at the top of the pages that had the title of the book printed onto the pages, allowing Lumiere to smile.

 _'The Island At The End Of Everything'_ was Queen Belle's favourite book to read and the same one the former queen had given Evie to read the first time she stayed over at the castle after a long days of work which made it impossible to go back to her dorm room without waking up Mal. Evie was given a large room in the castle and when the former queen saw the teenager walking around the library, trying to get sleepy in the large thunderstorm that was currently happening outside, Queen Belle gifted Evie ' _The Island At The End Of Everything'_ to read before going to sleep. Evie fell in love with the book almost instantly, reading it whenever she had the opportunity and stayed at Castle Beast after a long day with Ben and Mal, trying to improve the Isle Of The Lost conditions. It was nice for Lumiere to see that Mal was as transfixed with the book as Evie was, once again proving to the French employee that the two were more alike then the two knew.

Lumiere had grown quite close with Mal over the couple of months that she and Evie had been in Auradon and treated her like a daughter, which always made Mal smile at the former-candle's persistent worry for her health and well-being. Lumiere walked closer to Mal and coughed quietly, breaking the purple-haired teen out of her trance as she looked up from her book to see Lumiere smiling sadly down at her. Mal quickly placed her bookmark in the book and placed it on the arm of the sofa before moving to sit properly on the sofa, a small smile on her lips as Lumiere held out his hand for her to take. "Lady Mal" Lumiere greeted as Mal placed her hand in Lumiere's, a small smile on her lips as Lumiere bowed and placed a gentle kiss on Mal's knuckles. "I am sorry to hear of your loss. Evie was an amazing young lady with so much potential. She will never be forgotten" Lumiere added as he stood up straight, his hand still holding Mal's as the purple-haired teen stood up from the sofa and pulled Lumiere into a tight hug, resting her head on his chest as Lumiere wrapped his arms around Mal's neck.

" _Merci_ , Lumiere" Mal replied. Since she and Lumiere were close friends, she had learned some French from former-candle and Evie -who was taught French and Spanish by her Oceana and her mother, who claimed that every princess must know French in order to woo any potential suitors with the beautiful language- and managed to remember the beautiful words perfectly. According to Evie and Lumiere, Mal was a natural French speaker and the words flowed elegantly off her tongue just as well as English did and it encouraged the purple-haired teen to practice and learn as much as French as she possibly could from her new friend. "I missed you so much, thank you for everything" Mal added as Lumiere nodded in understanding.

"You don't need my help, you are already so close to Evie and you don't even know it" Lumiere replied which caused Mal to pull away in confusion, looking up at Lumiere with a questioning glance. Lumiere nodded towards Mal's book, a small smile on his lips as Mal turned around and looked at the book in confusion and stepped away from Lumiere to pick up _'The Island At The End Of Everything'_ and looking up at Lumiere confusingly. "It was Evie's favourite book, she was always reading it. Evie once told me that the story proved that when the time is right, even the youngest of people can be strong. Evie loved the idea of the main character being young enough but also strong enough to prove to her whole Island that she was worth something and returning to her mother when she was taken away from her. Evie said that the main character was like you, strong and determined to do anything she could to get to your family and I agree" Lumiere complemented making Mal smile.

"Lumiere, thank you for everything" Mal thanked softly as she looked up at the French employee of the royal family who smiled gratefully and nodded. Mal gulped as she slowly sat down on the sofa, the book still firmly in her hands as Ben placed his hand on her knee reassuringly, already knowing that Mal's mind was most likely racing with thoughts. Mal smiled and breathed in deeply while she looked down at the beautiful butterflies on the books blue cover -already knowing that the cover alone had forced Evie to pick up the book and read it- as Mal gently ran her fingers over the title of the book, her smile growing as she felt the small presses of long nails into the cover that must have been Evie's as the blue-haired teen gripped onto the book when any of her favourite characters got in trouble. It was a habit both Evie and Mal shared, to grip onto the cover of the book like it was going to be ripped away from them the moment they reached the hight of the problem.

"Lumiere" Audrey called out as she looked up from her knitting, causing the French man to make his way towards the princess, bowing once he reached her which caused Audrey to smile. "Really, Lumiere, I have grown up knowing you. Please don't bow" Audrey smiled as Lumiere nodded and stood up straight. "Are my parents here?" Audrey whispered so no one else in the living room could hear, making Lumiere nod in confirmation. "Will you be able to ask them to come to the living room? I feel like if Mal meets Alex and my family then she won't freak out as much as she normally would" Audrey whispered to Lumiere who nodded in understanding before he walked out of the room, silently telling Audrey that he would go and get Audrey's family and bring them to the living room while everyone else continued to do the thing they were doing before Lumiere entered.

Audrey, however, allowed her mind to wonder as she thought about Alex, her younger brother. Alex was around Dizzy's age and height, with curly brown hair that matched his father, Prince Philip, and warm brown eyes that matched his older sisters. His cute, cubby-cheeks were covered in faint freckles that highlighted the large dimples whenever the young prince smiled widely, showing off his pearly white teeth. As Audrey's younger brother, the prince had the same determination and strength that Audrey had, never once giving up on someone or something after he set his mind and heart to it. Audrey and Alex had a surprisingly close relationship considering the small amount of time the two got to spend together whenever Audrey returned home to Auroria. The two could only spend a couple of hours together before Audrey was called away for lessons or meetings in her kingdom's large meeting room, even if the teenager was out of school and it was a holiday -that didn't seem to stop her private tutors insisting on Audrey learning more of the history of her kingdom and the manners to address other leaders in faraway kingdoms, even if she already knew them. It angered Alex -and Audrey- at times but the young prince knew that it was stressful for both him and Audrey and that she was trying her best to spend time with him.

Audrey felt terrible every time she had to leave her brother to complete a meaningless task about the colour of the napkins at a family dinner or the size of the banners hanging off of the balcony in the throne room of the castle, but they had to be done to prepare Audrey for when she became queen. She may have hated it, but she knew that she did it so Alex wouldn' have to. The constant strain of being a good princess and future queen was held by Audrey so that she didn't fail and quiet, leaving Alex to become King Of Auroria and have to complete all of her tedious tasks. She wanted Alex to have a free and easy life instead of the trapped and hard life she had when at Auroria -she never seemed to be stressed when with her friends at Auradon Prep and part of the princess wanted to stay at the school forever but she knew that was impossible. If she stayed, Alex would become king and he would have her struggles and more, which meant that Audrey masked her stress and unhappiness under an unpenetrable mask that only Alex seemed to be able to see through. Alex always knew when his sister was at her wit's end and tried to help the best he could, but being a young prince and only second in line meant that he couldn't do much in Audrey's place to let her sleep and rest without worry.

Alex often threatened Audrey with telling their father and mother about her not coping with the pressure if she did not take a day off and sleep and even though Alex didn't know why that scared his older sister but she always promised to take a day off -but Alex knew that whenever Audrey said she was going to sleep, she would sneak off to her office in the castle and continue on with her work until she practically fell asleep on her desk. Alex didn't know about the real reason behind Audrey's stress because Audrey only told him that she worked so hard because she had a lot of work to do with the kingdom's finances and alliances that were the foundation of their large and powerful kingdom. Alex didn't know the number of times her parents told her that she had to go to another kingdom to meet the prince or young king of that kingdom, hoping to form an alliance. It was the only real reason Audrey started to date Ben, to stop her parents from cutting off her yearly trips home to go to another kingdom and meet a stuck-up prince who hoped to be the one to have Audrey on his arm -something Audrey felt utterly hurtful. In other kingdoms, it was like she was a chess piece to move on the board by somebody else, never in control of her own feelings or actions.

All the stuck-up princess boasted about their kingdoms power and wealth to Audrey like she was some form of gold-digger who could only be won by gold and diamonds. She hated the idea but she had to form an alliance -maybe not through marriage but by friendship- and that meant that she had to play along, gasp at the princes boasting and stare at them in fake awe whenever they mentioned their diamond filled spare crowns and tiara's that were in a large room somewhere in the castle. It happened so frequently that she started to always act like that with everyone apart from her brother, who was the only one to make Audrey break the spell she had put on herself and truly smile without even knowing it. Audrey loved that about her brother and wished that she didn't have to hide part of herself from the world but she knew that as soon as her parents came into the room and knew that Audrey was okay, she would be sent away within a month to a new kingdom, once again with the aim to form another alliance or strengthen an old one.

Audrey signed quietly as she leaned back in her chair, already feeling her head pounding as she thought about all the fake smiles and infectious laughter that she was going to have to endure for the next couple of months with a number of different leaders of strong kingdoms. A small tap on her leg brought Audrey out of her trance as she looked down to notice Gil's concerned filled eyes looking up at her with worry as she smiled at him, gently placing her knitting on the arm of the chair before moving to sit on the floor with Gil, her back resting on the chair as she smiled warmly at her boyfriend. "What's wrong?" Audrey whispered as Gil moved to sit next to her, allowing Audrey's head to rest on his shoulder as she signed in contentment.

"I can't read this" Gil signed as he pointed to one of the words in the book he was reading, making Audrey smile as she explained to him what the word was. Gil nodded in understanding as he returned to reading the last few chapters of his book as Audrey played with the small ring on her finger. It was her family crest with a rose engraved within the golden surface of the ring to represent her family as small calligraphy curved itself around the detailed rose, forming her family motto. The beautiful words read _"If you have courage and strength, you are beautiful, inside and out"_ which was a lesson taught to all of the members of the Beauty Family from their first day on Earth. It made Audrey smile as she twisted the ring around her finger, wondering what was going to happen to her and Gil's relationship once her parents figured out that she was dating a VK and the son of Gaston.

The opening and closing of the living room door went unnoticed by Audrey until two skinny arms wrapped around Audrey's side as somebody hugged Audrey. The princess jumped slightly at the feeling but relaxed upon seeing the full head of brown curls that was currently resting on Audrey's chest as her little brother hugged her. Audrey smiled as she wrapped her arms around her younger brother and lifted her head off of Gil's shoulder to place it on Alex's head, smiling widely as her brother squeezed her tightly. "I have missed you so much" Audrey whispered to Alex who smiled as he leaned back to look at his sister.

"All the way here, Momma and Pappa kept freaking out that you were hurt but how could you be hurt? You had all the VK's and Jane and Lonnie looking after you and making sure you were safe" Alex gushed with a large smile causing Audrey and everyone else in the room to smile widely at Alex's words as the young boy was clearly unaware of the other people in the room. "You have to tell me all about it? I bet that the daughter of Maleficent transformed into a dragon and the daughter of Ursula became a large squid-like creature. Wait? Is calling her a squid-like creature offensive? I hadn't had a lesson on that yet and-" Audrey cut Alex off by smiling kindly and running her fingers through the boy's curly brown hair.

"Why don't you ask her, I am sure Uma would be more than happy to answer?" Audrey giggled at Alex's wide eyes as he finally looked around the room, noticing the other teens in the room. The two former leaders of Auradon had moved into the castle's corridor to talk privately with Audrey's parents and grandmother so Audrey could spend time with her brother before having to answer the millions of questions her parents were going to eventually bombard her with later on. Princess Aurora knew that Audrey didn't spend a lot of time with her younger brother and understood that the time she spent learning the details from Queen Belle and King Adam was being used by Audrey to spend time with her little brother and her best friends without having to worry about putting on a fake smile or saying the correct things.

"Hey kiddo" Uma greeted with a small smile as she waved at a shocked Alex, loving the way the boy's eyes widened upon seeing Uma sat casually on the sofa west of him. Alex looked back at his sister, seemingly asking her permission to which Audrey nodded before Alex got up and rushed to Uma, pulling the sea-witches daughter into a tight hug as Uma chuckled at the younger boy's actions. In truth, Alex wasn't like most kids his age when it came to his favourite characters in the stories his mother and sister read to him at night as a child. Instead of rooting for the hero to win and live happily ever after, he often asked about the villain of the story no matter who was involved -which meant that Alex couldn't stop asking questions about his parents story with Maleficent or his best friend's parents, Queen Ariel and King Eric as Harmony was the boy's best friend- and always wanted to met the villains and their children.

Alex's favourites had to be Ursula, Captain Hook and Maleficent because he loved all of the stories and hero's so he always wanted to understand the villain's side of the story. Alex never judged the villains and choose to see the best in them, ignoring the wicked plan Maleficent had for Aurora when she was first born and instead focusing on the gigantic wings that used to connect to Maleficent's back which carried the dark fairy around high mountains of the Moor's or on top of the fluffy clouds in the sky. Audrey always loved that about her brother because all though she ignored her mother's memories of Maleficent and instead focused on her misguided tutors, Alex always protected Maleficent's name and fought for the women their mother used to call her 'Fairy Godmother'. Alex listened to his mother's words and lessons and always saw the best in Maleficent -and therefore her daughter- even when the VK's first arrived and Audrey hated them. Alex fought against his sister's feelings and believed that Mal and her friends were worth believing in, and even at the Coronation when Alex was watching Mal and her friends fight a dragon version of Maleficent, he still believed that Maleficent was going to be good and turn back into a human and hug Mal. In truth, he still did...

"Oh my god, _you_ are the daughter of Ursula" Alex gushed as he pulled away from Uma, looking at the teenager in awe as he took in each part of Uma's face. To Alex, Uma's braids and soft features and perfect for the daughter of Ursula and loved Uma's dark brown eyes that shone with mischief, just like his own light brown eyes. Alex always imagined what the children of villain's looked like since Audrey mentioned Ben's first official proclamation but he never expected them to be like Uma or Mal was -normal, beautiful teenage girls who smiled and laughed just like any Auradonian he had ever seen.

"Yea, why? Expected someone with technicals and who lived underwater?" Uma laughed, her perfect smile showing off her pearly white teeth as Alex sat next to her on the sofa. Alex smiled and blushed, his head slowly moving left and right in a shake of his head as he shook his head in denial. Audrey smiled at her brother's actions before replacing her head on Gil's shoulder, gently kissing him on the cheek as she watched her brother awe over the daughter of Ursula.

"It's just that... Well, you are beautiful and I expected someone with like..." Alex hesitated as Uma blushed at the young boy's words before turning in her seat to face him fully. "Well, I didn't expect you to have cool hair and dark eyes and like..." Alex looked Uma up and down, his smile one of confusion as he noticed that Uma had two legs instead of eight. Uma smiled as she followed Alex's eyes that rested on her legs making the pirate laugh at the boy's shocked face. Audrey looked at Uma in confusion, wondering what Alex was talking about until she locked eyes with Uma who nodded down to her legs, a small smile on the girl's lips.

"Alex" Audrey gasped, causing her brother to sheepishly turn around in his eat to look at his older sister. "You can not just say that you expected someone to have eight legs instead of two!" Audrey exclaimed, causing everyone else to laugh at the large smile on Audrey's face as she shook her head side to side. Everyone forgot about the blanket of grief that their bodies were wrapped in and instead focused on the blushing cheeks of Alex as he looked at his older sister in embarrassment. All the teen's in the room knew that they needed a distraction -especially because they knew that eventually, they would have to tell the press before rumours start to spread about Evie's whereabouts- and it was nice to talk to someone like Alex who didn't know about what had happened to Evie and were not giving the teens all looks of pity, something all of them hated.

The VK's in the room hated when the adults would look at them with pity like they expected them to break into tears, which meant that the VK's were reluctant to show their emotions in case they are seen as weak. But, as they watched Alex gush over Uma's braids and talk to the daughter of Ursula like she was a goddess -and therefore worthy of the utmost respect- they didn't need to hide their emotions and instead, could focus on the people in the room who were genuinely concerned for them and thank them for their worry instead of crying in the corner, alone and scared.

As Mal looked around the room at her best friends and families once tear-filled eyes that were now filled with happiness and hope that they were going to get through not having Evie around anymore, she finally realised that as long as she had her friends around, she was going to be okay. Mal looked over at Dizzy and smiled at the girl's happy features as she stared intently at Alex, her smile never faltering as Alex continued to tell stories to the room full of teenagers like they were all long lost best friends of his. Mal knew that as long as Dizzy had a smile on her lips and hope in her heart, she had succeeded in fulfilling Evie's wish -to have everyone in her family be happy and okay. And that's all the purple-haired teen has every wanted.

* * *

After around half an hour of the teenagers talking and laughing with Alex, who had since moved to sit next to Dizzy -something that made the little girl blush and smiles widely- the living room doors opened again and this time, a young couple walked in with the former king and queen and Queen Leah. One of the new arrivals was a middle-aged woman with long blonde hair which was curled perfectly to end at the bottom of her back. Her features were soft and kind like Audrey's and her lips were a natural bright pink which curved into a small smile upon seeing the teenagers in the room -but they already knew that the smile was hiding the women's sorrow, which made them wonder who she was exactly. Dressed in a simple black summer dress that ended at her knee's and had a lace border along the bottom and sweetheart neckline, the women were dressed in a sophisticated way but it also highlighted the women's sadness in a way that matched her soft light brown eyes that were flooded with grief.

The man stood next to the middle-aged woman was also around her age, with a strong jawline and dark brown eyes that matched his dark brown hair which was swooshed to the side with gel. The man was wearing a smart black quit with a white shirt underneath with golden cuffs and buttons, much like Ben's and King Adam's, and shiny black shoes that matched Alex's. The man had his arm wrapped around the other woman's waist as they walked slowly into the room, followed by the former king and queen and King Stephan and Queen Leah as they all smiled weakly at the teenagers in the room. Audrey smiled at the three new arrivals before she stood up from the floor, her hand slowly slipping from Gil's as she slowly walked towards the two people who stood next to the sofa Alex and Dizzy were sat on. Audrey smiled and curtsied to the people in front of her before the women opened her arms to the princess who quickly wrapped her arms around the woman's waist and buried her head into her chest. "Mama, I have missed you so much" Audrey muttered to her mother as she hugged her tightly.

"Papa, mama" Alex quickly got off of the sofa -not missing the way Dizzy frowned at the loss of closeness which caused his eyes to soften as he locked eyes with Dizzy's- and rushed to his father, wrapping his arms tightly around his father's torso as the prince started to run his fingers through his sons hair. Mal's emerald green eyes widened as Uma's head shot towards her, a silent observation of the purple-haired teen's reaction to Princess Aurora and Prince Philip being in the same room as her.

"We came as soon as we heard" Aurora explained as she kissed the top of Audrey's head as the teen tightly hugged her mother. "Are you okay? No broke bones, no bruises, no cuts?" Aurora listed as she looked down at Audrey, tilting her daughters head to the side to check Audrey's face for any damage. Audrey knew that her parents were going to worry about her but she didn't expect it to be this suffocating. Audrey loved that her mother and father cared so much about their only daughter and she appreciated what it must feel like to hear from the former king that their daughter was in a life or death situation but she knew that her parents were overreacting. Aurora and Prince Philip knew that their daughter was headstrong and that they couldn't have stopped Audrey from going to Cotillion if they tried but it was difficult to comprehend the idea that their precious daughter was in danger.

"Mama, I am fine. My friends protected me so maybe you should thank them" Audrey responded as she gently took hold of her mother's hand, removing it from under her chin as she looked at her father and mother. Aurora opened her mouth to respond but Audrey quickly cut her off, already knowing what the princess was going to say. "I wanted and needed to go to Cotillion, Mama. I know our trip to Sherwood Forest was cut short and that it was really important for me to be on and all but they needed me" Audrey turned around to look at her friends, all of whom had small smiles plastered onto their faces. "And I needed them"

"So Mama, please don't worry about me. I know I am young and I am your daughter and all which gives you a right to worry but I had everyone here -Lonnie, Mal, Jane and Gil especially- looking after me" Audrey continued as she turned to her parents again. "I won't allow my friends to go through this alone and no matter what, I know that I am not going back to Auroria until I know that they are happy -you can send me my work and postpone my meetings but I am not leaving them. Not again" Audrey slowly unwrapped her arms from around her mother and stepped back, moving to sit on the sofa behind her and next to Dizzy who instantly -like a natural reaction- moved to sit beside Audrey.

Audrey gently picked up Dizzy and hugged the little girl who moved to sit on her lap, wrapping her arms loosely around Audrey's waist as Audrey did the same to Dizzy -like they were sat in the Limo over to Castle Beast from the Cotillion Boat. Dizzy's frown soon turned into a smile at Audrey's presence as she leaned her head on Audrey's collarbone. "These guys are my best friends, and this little girl deserves somebody to talk to. I know that they will provide that, but I want to be able to make Evie proud and help the people who I wasn't very kind to when they first arrived all those months ago. It may seem silly and irresponsible to put my responsibilities as a princess on hold for my friends but, it is the right thing to do and I want to do it. I want to help Mal, Uma, Harry and all the others go through this and be happy, not sad and depressed like I was for all that time when Maya went" Audrey added as her fingers gently ran through Dizzy's long hair.

Aurora smiled sadly at her daughter's words before moving to sit next to Audrey and Dizzy, gently smiling at the little girl in her daughter's arms. Aurora loved her daughter more than anything in the world and knew that sometimes she could get too protective over her, but seeing Audrey quickly bring Dizzy into a large hug to try and make the young girl smile made Aurora see that her daughter had grown up and was now trying to look after her friends. The princess smiled knowing that her daughter had people who looked after her and who she wanted to look after and that's all Aurora ever wanted for her daughter, so she didn't mind if Audrey stayed in Auradon's capital -as long as Queen Belle and King Adam allowed it, of course- so long as Audrey was happy. That's all Aurora cared about.

"Hello, sweetie" Aurora greeted quietly as she smiled down at Dizzy, who had her head resting on Audrey's collarbone as she looked up at the queen. "Would you like, and everyone else of course" Aurora started as she looked up at the rest of the room who were staring at the princess intently, "if Audrey stayed here for a little bit longer then planned? And I do agree with Audrey's words, without your help, I do believe that my family and I would be in a very different situation. So thank you. Especially you Mal, I have heard amazing things from Queen Belle who tells me that you, Uma and Evie planned to save Auradon and I want to thank you two. As a mother of a girl who could have been hurt if you all weren't there and a princess of a kingdom that could have been destroyed if it hadn't been for your quick thinking, I want to say that if you ever need anything, you are always welcome in Auroria -no matter what" Aurora added with a smile.

Uma's mind, however, was not processing Aurora's words and was instead focusing on the way Alex and Audrey interacted with one another and their parents -like a happy family that had never been separated or had to band together to survive, the opposite to Uma's. It still hurt Uma that her two sister -the only remaining biological family she had from her mother's side of the story because she, unlike Oceana and Pearl, didn't know who her father was- were trapped on the Isle Of Lost where she couldn't reach them. Uma hated to think about the fact that Oceana, Pearl and Harris were going to find out about Evie's death by watching one of the only news channels on the Isle Of The Lost. Uma knew that she had to send them a letter before they figured it out from the news.

She missed her sisters greatly and although she had Mal, Lonnie, Jane and Audrey there to help her, she didn't want them to worry about her and focus on her feelings when they should be focusing on their own feelings at the moment. She wanted to hug and cry to her sister, knowing that she would never be judged or lied too whenever she and her older and younger sisters were together. Uma made a mental note to bring Oceana and Pearl over from the Isle Of The Lost and to Auradon, already knowing how much it would help her and Mal get to terms with the past events that seemed to have no gap in between them -meaning the events keep piling up until Uma was sure that her mind could hold no more pain and heartache.

Uma didn't know why she started to think about her sisters -especially because Alex and Audrey didn't resemble her sisters and her relationship one bit- but as Uma shook her head to try and rejoin the conversation and stop her mind from wandering off, she found that she could not. It was like she was stuck in her own mind, where her thoughts grew so loud they blocked all the talk happening in the living room as Uma continued to shake her head. Uma's eyes widened with panic as she tried -and failed- to rejoin the groups talk and instead continued to think about her sisters and Harris, wondering if they were truly okay or if they already knew about Evie's demise. The small tap on Uma's shoulder and the hands on her hands caused Uma to jump as small voices began to whisper her name but as Uma continued to shake her head and try to free her hands, she realised that she couldn't breathe properly and it was coming out in short breaths.

"Uma!" Mal called out as Uma continued to focus on her breathing, taking long deep breathes to try and calm herself down from whatever panic she was having. Mal moved to sit in front of Uma on the floor, next to Audrey as the princess asked her what was happening to Uma as the teen continued to shake violently. "She's going into some form of shock, this happened sometimes on the Isle Of The Lost but... Evie always helped them" Mal responded, her voice full of worry and panic as she spoke. "Okay, Harry move and get a pillow so Uma can lie down so she doesn't faint and hurt herself. Can somebody get me some water and a small snack for when she wakes up? And a blanket" Mal ordered as she quickly got up from on the floor.

The First Mate followed Mal's orders and quickly got off of the sofa, moving some of the decorative pillows to allow Uma to lie down on the sofa as her breathing continued to be shallow and unnatural. Queen Belle and Prince Philip left the room to find a couple of blankets and some food from the kitchen that Uma would be able to eat while Aurora moved towards the daughter of Ursula who was currently laying on the sofa as Mal sat next to her, her hand gently resting on Uma's check as she wiped her thumb over the girls sweat covered skin. Uma shook her head as her eyes remained closed, small lines appearing on the side of her eyes as she squeezed them closed so she could see nothing -unknowingly making her panic more.

"Hay, Uma" Mal greeted in a calm voice. "Just focus on your breathing. In and out" Mal ordered as Audrey shared a scared glance with the daughter of Maleficent, her eyes filled with worry as she looked down at a scared Mal who was trying to calm herself down as well as Uma. "Just focus on my voice and breath. Remember what you used to do when this happened and do it because I can't help you right now. Remember what Evie told you" Mal admitted as she looked back at Uma.

Uma's eyes remained closed until her whole body went limp, her eyes no longer squeezed shut and instead gently closed as her whole body relaxed on the sofa. The darkness that used to surround Uma now changed into a beautiful garden, full of greenery and flowers and the last words Mal spoke to Uma flooded into her mind;

 _"Remember what Evie told you"_

* * *

 _Uma was stood in the centre of a large garden where the viridescent greenery and the ever-blooming red cherry-blossom shined brightly in the blazing, red balls rays as it hung high in the dark sky. The tall trees bordered the cobblestone path and connected to the other side, creating an arch of leaves as red as blood over Uma's head while the daughter of Ursula walked down the pathway. Small red flowers dotted around the garden as the sun shone through the almost transparent leaves above the princess who looked around confusing, not recognising the beautiful senary surrounding her._

 _The quiet hum of a beautiful melody broke Uma out of her trance as she turned around to see the last person she ever expected to see. Evie. Uma gasped as she quickly found a place to hind in the wall of tree's, hiding between one of the thick branches of the cherry blossom trees as the blue-haired princess continued to walk down the path made of cobblestone pebbles. Evie walked down the path, her black dress trailing behind her while she brushed her fingers on the twisted roots of the trees that bordered the path._

 _"This is the garden of my childhood.  
These were the borders of my life.  
In this humble, pretty garden,  
where my father loved his wife._

 _Easy to remember,  
hard to move on.  
Knowing the garden of my childhood  
is gone"_

 _While quietly humming the song as she walked down the garden's path -unknowingly being followed by Uma who was sneaking through the twisted roots of the cherry blossom trees to avoid being detected- Evie remembered all the beautiful picnics with her step-mother where they sat in small, secluded areas of the garden and talked and laughed together when the blue-haired princess was younger. Evie loved spending time with her step-mother -much more then she loved spending time with her biological mother- and remembered the smile-filled memories of herself and the goddess of Spring when the princess was younger and when her father and older brothers were too busy to play any games with her._ _Evie smiled at the thought of her step-mother smiling proudly at her when the little girl had successfully made a flower grown out of the small dandelions that littered the soil of the garden. It was funny, Evie supposed, that she had had a stronger relationship with her step-mother then her biological mother. In all the stories Evie was read to as a kid that involved step-mothers, they were portrayed as vain and evil women who wanted nothing more but the destruction of the child they were legally forced to take care of. But Evie's step-mother was different._

 _She was a smart woman who was kind-hearted and a free-spirit, always allowing Evie to express her frustration, anger or sadness without feeling the fear of being judged or reprimanded. The women surrounded herself with an air of power and beauty, an elegant mixture that had everyone either jealous of the girls looks or envious of the way she commanded the rooms attention when she entered. But the thing Evie loved most about her step-mother, wasn't the fact that she didn't pressure her to always act like a princess or have perfect make-up -although those were pro's- she loved the way that her step-mother treated Evie with kindness and respect, never once treating her biological children better than Evie. In her eyes, Evie was one of her children, not the daughter of the Evil Queen or her step-daughter, but a young girl who was born into a situation less than ideal and instead of being angry or sad about it, she strived to become her best self. Evie didn't hate her step-mother or have any hard feelings towards her, like in the fairytale stories she read as a kid, she actually loved her step-mother with all her heart and soul._

 _Evie slowly moved to a stop, causing Uma to do the same, as the blue-haired princes turned her head to the wall of leaves and roots opposite Uma before walking over to it and signing softly. Evie remembered the number of times her step-mother would sign before walking through the secret door in the wall of leaves that allowed her and Evie to be away from the public eye and not worry about anyone watching them bond with one another. Uma signed as she watched Evie walk through the magical door before she emerged from the trees, gently closing her eyes as she waved her hand over her head, casting a simple invisible spell._

 _"Beware Forswear,  
make me disappear  
into fin air"_

 _Uma chanted quietly before she looked down, noticing that her black dress and her skin was now transparent -which meant that she was unable to be seen. Uma smirked victoriously before following Evie through the magical door, her mouth dropping open at the beautiful site in front of her._ _Evie was stood in front of her, a couple of steps away, as the teenager looked around the indoor garden and lake that seemed to have grown neglected over the years that Evie had not been at the castle which made the teen silently wonder why her step-mother hadn't visited the garden more often, especially considering that it was one of the women's favourite places to relax in. Uma noticed that instead of the deep red colouring outside of the garden, the grass and trees were a vibrant green with small multi-coloured flowers and large bushes lining the lake and small island in the middle of the garden._

 _The clear water ran down in a steady stream that was bordered with beautiful, over-grown flowers and plants that were vibrant and full of life, even though it looked like Evie's step-mother -or anyone for that matter- hadn't entered the garden for many years. Small patches of moss lined the jumping stones on the surface of the water that connected the mainland to the small island which held a wooden, gazebo hidden away within the overgrown, cherry-blossom trees. Evie smiled as she slowly stepped onto the peddles that floated on top of the water, being careful of her long trail as she smiled at the memories that flooded through her mind. Her golden heels clicked against the large stones as the princess jumped from one to another with a large smile on her lips. After crossing the river, Evie walked over to the centre of the gazebo that was covered in beautiful red flowers and vibrant, green bushes covered in amazing berries that Evie remembers tasting when she and her step-mother were having one of their picnics._

 _Uma quickly followed suit, jumping on the floating pebbles to cross the water and land on the gazebo as Evie started to twirl happily in the centre of the gazebo. The daughter of Ursula smiled as she watched Evie act like a kid, a happy smirk on her face as she twirled in her long and beautiful dress in the centre of the gazebo, and she knew that even if her mind was playing tricks on her as a way to calm down, she was at least happy to know that her sister was happy and content. Uma knew that no matter what happened to Evie, she was still going to smile and laugh and that was all Uma ever wanted for her best friend._

 _Uma watched with slight confusion as Evie stopped spinning, her lips curving into a small smile like a long lost memory had clicked into place in her mind as Evie moved to the edge of the gazebo -near where Uma was- and slipped off her golden heels. Evie smiled as she took off her heels and stepped back, raising her hand above her head as blue sparks shot out of it and circled the blue-haired teenager as she sung softly -but Uma had never heard the song._

 _"Flower gleam and glow._

 _Let your power shine._  
 _Make the clock reverse,_  
 _bring back what once was mine._

 _Heal what had been hurt,_  
 _change the fates design._  
 _Save what has been lost,_  
 _bring back what once was mine._

 _What once was mine"_

 _As soon as the blue sparks disappeared, Uma saw that Evie's outfit had changed from the beautiful and elegant black dress she was previously wearing and had transformed into a simple white dress that had no sleeves and ended at the girl's knee's. The top half of the dress covered Evie's chest and went in at the top, allowing two thin spaghetti straps to wrap around Evie's neck and connect to the other side of the dress and although the dress itself was sleeveless, Evie's arms were still covered by a thin, light blue cardigan that had long arms. The cardigan was too long for Evie so she quickly tucked the excess fabric into itself to create a small pattern of fabric that was held together by a dark blue bow on Evie's side. On Evie's feet were a pair of white ballerina shoes that had lace going up to Evie's knee as a small bow on the side of Evie's legs tied the lace into place. Evie's long red and blue hair -that Uma had given up trying to explain- was pulled into a large bun at the top of Evie's head so the princess would be able to move without having neck pain, something she was starting to receive due to the new sensation of having really long hair._ _Althogether, Evie looked like a perfect ballerina to Uma who quietly gasped in surprise -but thankfully, Evie was too preoccupied to notice._

 _Evie smiled happily as she moved to the centre of the gazebo, her feet pointed and her arms gracefully hanging next to her as Evie moved one foot in front of the other before coming to a stop at the centre of the gazebo. Evie nodded and suddenly, the sound of violins and cellos gently filled the garden making Uma stare at Evie in awe as the princess moved elegantly to the music -like a ballerina. If Uma was listening close enough to the music, she would have realised that the cellos and violins were harmonizing to the sound of The Nutcracker -a play that aired on the Isle Of The Lost every Christmas, in hopes of teaching the children and villains how to love again. It never worked but Evie always loved the play. But Uma was not listening to the music and instead, she was watching as Evie danced and twirled around the gazebo, like the dancers did when they were performing._

 _Evie looked like a true ballerina, her smile never faltering and her face remaining calm as she danced effortlessly, like instead of dancing she was reliving an old memory. Uma had never seen Evie dance like she was currently and she knew that she had missed out as Evie twirled elegantly around the room on one pointed foot, moving her arms in and out to gain speed as she did so. Uma could have watched her friend dance for the rest of her life if she had the chance but it came to an end all too quickly when the music stopped and Evie stopped moving as she slowly lowed her self to the ground -her skirt surrounding her as she bowed her head and placed her conjoined hands in her lap elegantly._

 _"That was beautiful" A voice commented making Evie smile as she looked up at the new voice, already knowing who it was. Uma followed Evie's gaze as the blue-haired princess slowly got up from the group, with the help of the new arrival who gently extended their hand to help Evie._ _The women in front of Evie had long, brown hair with hints of red that flowed down the girls back in soft curls and framed the women's sculpted face. Light blue flowers were placed in her hair and wrapped themselves in front of the simple, golden tiara that the women had on that had dark blue diamonds in it which sparkled in the bright light that shone upon the gazebo. The woman's face was slim and sculpted, with high cheekbones and perfectly arched eyebrows that required no makeup. Her eyes were a warm brown and complemented the soft glow of the women's wrinkle-free and tanned skin that made the women seem much younger then what she actually was. "You must have practised since last time, surely. You have improved so much" The women added with a kind smile making Evie smile in return._

 _"Persephone" Evie greeted as she dropped into a low curtsy, her hand still being helped by her step-mother as she smiled at the teenager's actions. Evie stood up properly before pulling Persephone into a tight hug, her arms wrapped around the older woman's waist as Persephone rested her chin on the top of Evie's head. Evie signed deeply as she buried her head into her step-mothers chest like she was young again and afraid to let her go. If it was with the Evil Queen, Uma knew that Evie wouldn't have got close enough to be pulled in for a hug but with Persephone, she was different. To Uma, it was like Evie and Persephone had a real daughter-mother relationship and even though Uma didn't know who exactly Persephone was to Evie, she was happy that Evie was able to be with someone she loves instead of with her friends. "I have missed you so much. I was going to talk to Father but he was busy. Apparently, the necklace I gave Uma started to glow so they had to check on them by my request. Have you heard anything? I can't bear being without them. It's the longest I have ever been without my friends and I miss them dearly." Evie signed as she pulled away from her step-mother._

 _"There is some news yes" Persephone answered as she and Evie moved to the stone seat at the back of the gazebo that overlooked the whole garden. Uma moved to see the two better, a small smile on her lips as she noticed that Persephone was holding Evie's hand in her own for comfort. "Your friends are alright. They are happy and everything is fine. Currently, I do believe that Uma fainted because she started to think about you and her sisters and got panicky. She is alright and should wake up at any moment" Persephone added which made Uma shake her head._

No _Uma thought as she shook her head frantically. If she had fainted, then it meant that she was no longer in control of her body and mind and therefore, it meant that whatever she was currently experiencing -whether it be a dream or real life was currently irrelevant to Uma- was going to come to an end very quickly. As Uma's eyes began heavy and her vision began to get blurry, all Uma could do was hope that she wouldn't wake up quite yet -that she would still be able to see Evie's smile or her amazing dancing skills again apart from in her memories or dreams. Uma wished that she didn't have to wake up so she would be able to see Evie happy and full of life again instead of the pained and saddened expression Evie last wore at Cotillion._

 _As Uma's eyes grew tired and she started to sway, the only thing the daughter of Ursula thought about was the large smile and graceful dance moves of her late sister and she hoped that no matter what, she was able to remember her sister in a good way and not in a sad way. Uma gently closed her eyes and signed deeply, a smile on her lips as her mind and body went numb and the only thought in her mind consisted of her sister's smile._

* * *

Uma's eyes quickly snapped open as she breathed in a large breath, bolting upright into a sitting position on the sofa, surrounded by her friends. Uma breathed in deeply and quickly as she looked around her, running her fingers through her hair while her friends all turned to see the daughter of Ursula on the same sofa Uma remembered sitting on before she fainted. Mal and Audrey were the first ones to move, quickly dropping to the ground in front of the sofa and gently grabbing Uma's hands from touching her head -just like before. The two teens didn't know what Uma had gone through while unconscious but they knew that her mind would be sensitive so Uma could not damage her head or do any real work until she was alright again, which meant no touching her head to relieve stress. "What happened?" Uma groaned as Harry quickly got her a cold glass of water to which Uma thanked him kindly and took a sip, instantly feeling better as the cold liquid moved down her throat.

"You had an anxiety attack which caused you to faint" Audrey replied with a small, reassuring smile plastered onto her lips as Uma breathed in deeply and tried to calm down. "By what Mal told me, you have them often when things get stressful or you are in new situations without one of your friends. Don't worry though, they are perfectly normal and a lot of people suffer with them" Audrey explained.

"So... how can it be cured? I don't want to have that again"

"Anxiety attacks are different for a lot of people -it is something that many doctors have researched but have come to the conclusion that nearly everyone suffers and deals with them differently- but they are not a disease" Audrey replied, "It usually relates to the way the subject deals with stress or loss in this case. Anxiety attacks are scary and they are difficult to deal with but one thing is sure -they can be prevented. It is all about how you deal with everything when you first start to feel like you will have an anxiety attack" Audrey continued as Uma looked at her confusingly.

"How do you know all this? I mean -and no offensive of course- but your not a doctor" Uma raised an eyebrow at the princess in front of her as she spoke. "You don't know what's happening with me because nobody does right now. You said it yourself, nobody knows a lot about these anxiety attacks so maybe its something else. Maybe I just fainted because I wasn't eating or drinking enough and my body reacted" Uma guessed with a shrug of her shoulders.

"You have a point, I am no doctor and although to some your guesses could be seen as correct but sadly they are not. In this case, it was a clear anxiety attack due to the way you were non-responsive and shaking along with other symptoms that you experienced" Audrey explained with a small smile. "Trust me, for ages the royal doctors in Auroria couldn't explain why I was going through those symptoms and others that weren't clear signs of being somebody who suffers from anxiety attacks. It wasn't until a couple of years ago that Ben actually listened to me and explained what they were. Not many people know about them -especially outside my close family- but I also suffer from anxiety attacks. Ben helped me figure everything out until I had to leave to go back to Auroria where I went back to the doctors and asked them how likely it was that I did suffer from anxiety attacks. After I brought up the possibility, they did some mental tests and... confirmed it." Audrey signed.

"I don't talk about it often because everyone expects me to be so confident that when I do tell someone about my anxiety attacks, they usually just laugh it off like I was joking. But I do suffer with them and lucky, you have someone who spent an hour every weekday learning about how to control them -by royal request of the prince and princess of Auroria apparently- so if you ever want to talk about it, then I'm always free. I didn't have anyone so I had to talk to my doctors and trust me, I have never felt more judged for my feelings in my life" Audrey concluded as she smiled sweetly up at Uma.

"Thank you, Audrey. If these faints are anxiety attacks then I would be very happy to talk to you about it. But for now, can we just ignore it... for a little bit" Uma asked as she bit the inside of her check. Audrey nodded as everyone else in the room copied, with Mal gently squeezing Uma's hand in reassurance. Uma nodded in thanks as Audrey slowly let go of Uma's hand and stood up, walking towards the sofa Dizzy was currently sat on as the little girl carefully moved to sit on the older girls lap, wrapping her arms loosely around Audrey's neck. Everyone continued on with what they were doing for the rest of the day.

Uma stayed snuggled up to Harry's side because the First Mate refused to leave his girlfriend's side as the two silently watched the rest of the room interact with one another. Dizzy and Audrey stayed sat on the sofa, with Audrey only moving to pick up Evie's design book so the two could admire Evie's designs of elegant dresses and smart suits that seemed to be made for specific people in mind -Audrey loved the pink and blue pastel dress that had Audrey's name written in the corner of the page, something that made the princess smile widely at her friends actions. Mal, Aurora and Queen Leah were stood in the corner of the room, with the three women putting aside their differences -and Queen Leah even apologising to Mal for her behaviour on Family Day- and was now talking about the talking carefully at the events at Cotillion. The two rulers wanted to know what had actually happened at Cotillion that could of hurt Audrey -and did lead to Evie's end- and they went to Mal, knowing that the purple-haired teen would be the most understanding with their reasons and be okay with relaying all of the details without breaking into a lot of tears.

Jay and Carlos were explaining their roles on the Tourney Team and R.O.A.R Team to a fixated Alex who was hanging off of the boy's every word as Jane and Lonnie sat either side of their respective boyfriends, correcting the boy's words whenever it was necessary -which was a lot. Queen Belle was sat next to Uma with a small plate of cookies on her lap to give Uma whenever she got hungry, while King Adam stood behind the sofa with his hand resting on his wife's shoulder while the two read a book over Belle's shoulder.

Gil was stood in front of the fireplace with Prince Philip and King Stephan, calmly asking their permission to continue to date their daughter and grand-daughter. Gil wanted to set a good example for Audrey's father and grandfather as he knew how important Audrey's family was to the princess and he wanted to make sure that her family accepted him and his roots. In the end, Audrey's grandfather and father accepted Gil and his roots -even if they were concerned about Gil's VK history with the Isle Of The Lost and how it would effect Audrey- and the three males were able to change the conversation away from Gil's roots and onto embarrassing stories of Audrey that Gil was sure to use against the girl in a later date.

* * *

Meanwhile, Evie and Persephone were still sat on the stone seat in the secret garden, talking about the changes in both of their lives -with Evie joining Auradon Prep and Persephone talking about her precious daughter, Harley, and describing what the little girl was like- and was trying to make up for all the time the two missed over the years. To the seer surprise of Evie, Harley seemed to be an exact replica of her, with dark blue hair, warm brown eyes and an award-winning smile that showed off all of her pearly white teeth and her cuddy cheeks covered with faint freckles. Evie learned a lot about her step-sister and she couldn't wait to hopefully meet the girl who loved to design clothes -even if she is five years old currently- and dance, just like Evie did at Harley's age.

Currently, the two girls were talking about what happened at Cotillion. Persephone knew that Evie missed her friend's dealy and that the teenager didn't want to have to wait for her friends and family to die so she could see, hug and laugh with them again and the former Queen Of The Underworld knew that Evie was already planning on asking her about the Portal To The Living. The Portal To The Living was the most secret thing in the Underworld -only the royal family knew about it- and could be used to transport the dead back onto Earth as a form of a second chance at a life. It wasn't used often and only young people -like Evie- could use it because of the amount of energy it drains from a person life to get through to the other side. If Evie was to go through the portal, it would mean that some of her memories would be changed or destroyed due to the amount of power needed to break through the natural order of things. Persephone didn't know what memories could be changed if Evie was to do such things but she knew Evie was going to ask about it at some point and by the way Evie was currently biting the corner of her lip in worry, she knew it was going to happen soon.

"Evie, dear," Persephone said as she reached over and took Evie's hand in hers, "I have known you since you were a little girl and I have watched you grow up into the strong and fearless young lady that is currently in front of me. Even if I haven't seen you in years, I have always known what type of person you would grow up to become and I can happily say that I was not wrong. You are so caring and kind it is almost hard to believe that somebody can have this much of a golden heart in this world but when I look at you I know that you are the only one in the world with such a heart. I know that you miss your friends and I know what you want to ask me and I know why you aren't so just ask me" Persephone added

"Okay, well you know that I love you and Father and Harris and even Harley -even though I haven't met her quiet yet- and that you will always be my family right?" Evie questioned which caused Persephone to nod in agreement. "And although The Evil Queen gave birth to me, you are more of a mother to me than she ever was. I love you and I am so happy that Father married you because if he didn't, I wouldn't be able to meet you. So with that being said, please don't think that I want to leave you because I don't but my friends and like my family. I can't leave them" Evie appended with a desperate smile for Persephone to understand what she was trying to say.

"I love my friends and when it was impossible for me to see a day where I wouldn't be hurt or sad, my friends always made me feel better and like I could continue on, in spite of everything we went through. It was hard yes and it was scary to have trust in something so untrustworthy like hope is but we did and it made us stronger. The seemingly strong and brave person you see in front of you is because they wouldn't let me break and crack under the pressure and I love that about them. They have always been so strong around me because they know that no matter what, I will always rely on them but now I find my self in a situation where I need to be strong for them" Evie signed with a short smile at the memories of her and her friends and family.

"I know that you know what I am about to confess and I can already assume your worries but these people are my family and I know that they need me just as much as I need them. I love them so much and even if I go back to Earth and they say they hate me, I at least need to know that I have the option to hug them if I need it. I just need to know that if I do go back to Earth and face the consequences of the decision, that I will always have you here to support me, even if I can't remember it" Evie concluded with a small sigh as she wiped her eyes away from the forming tears.

Persephone delicately pulled her step-daughter into a hug, wrapping her arms around the teenager's waist as Evie placed her head on her step-mother chest and started to cry. Persephone knew that her approval meant everything to Evie and that the teenager wanted it more than anything in the world but she also knew that as her step-mother, she needed o make sure that Evie knew the effects of doing such a thing would do to not only her life but her friends. Persephone did know the pain of losing somebody she held so close to her heart and she could only imagine the pain Evie's friends were going through considering that they were family, but Persephone also had to guess what Evie's friends would feel if Evie went back to Earth when they had only just lost her. Persephone knew that they would be happy of course, but she believed that it would just be too much for the teenagers and adults to deal with. With that, accompanied by the fact that questions would be asked about how Evie was able to do such a thing, Persephone needed to know that Evie was sure that she knew about the repercussions of her decision.

"Evie" Persephone began as Evie slowly moved backwards in order to see her step-mother fully. "I know what your friends mean to you, having heard about them from when you were younger, but think for a minute about what your friends will go through if you do go back. They have lost you and yes, they would be happy that you are back but then they would start asking questions. Questions regarding the possibility of you doing such a thing as rising from the dead. I am with you, one-hundred and ten per cent with this decision if that's what you want but you have to be sure that you are ready to explain to your friends who your father is and where you come from. You have to be prepared with telling a secret you have kept for sixteen years"

"I know what will happen and I am sure that my friends will ask questions but I am prepared to tell them who I am related to. I shouldn't have to hide my father's side of the family because I no longer live with my mother and she was the only reason why I kept that secret. I shouldn't have to hide my heritage from my friends anymore and I hate acting like my father doesn't exist. He does and he is an amazing father, just like you are an amazing mother" Evie replied, determination ringing through her voice as she spoke.

"Okay," Persephone signed with a smile. She knew that Evie was prepared to tell her friends everything if it meant seeing them again and being able to laugh, hug and cry with them again. Persephone knew that Evie would walk the length of Hell and back just to be able to hold her friends one last time and she proud that she got to call such a strong and protective girl her step-daughter. But she also knew that Evie wasn't counting on the one thing that was going to stop her reach her friends and family quickly. "Dear, there is one thing that had changed with the portal over the years" Persephone unveiled with a small sigh.

Evie looked at Persephone with confusion. "What is it?"

"Well a couple of weeks before you left as a kid, news got out to King Adam that the Portal was also able to transport people to Auradon which meant that if it was placed in the wrong hands, the Villain's could escape. Of course, we would never use it like that and when King Adam and Queen Belle came into the Underworld to take it and lock it up in the museum in Auradon, I was able to explain to him about you. King Adam and Queen Belle then said that if the Portal was enchanted so it could only take people to and from the Isle Of The Lost then we could keep it so we did" Persephone explained causing Evie to sign.

"But why hasn't King Adam and Queen Belle hinted that they knew about my parentage," Evie asked, confusion lining her voice.

"I made them swear to secrecy. I knew that you were going to have a chance at Auradon and so if anyone knew that your father was the Lord Of The Underworld, then it may affect the way people first see you. I thought that if you spent time in Auradon and people grew to accept you, then you wouldn't need to explain to everyone who your father is because they would have already seen that you are more then what your parents want you to be -good or bad" Persephone explained.

"Wait so you are telling me that the two former rulers of Auradon knew about my heritage but still allowed me into Auradon, knowing that there was a large possibility that I inherited my father's powers?" Evie asked causing Persephone to nod in confirmation. "And that the Portal can only take me to the Isle Of The Lost instead of Auradon?"

"Yes, I am sorry, Evie. But I thought that it was best to keep the portal so if you ever needed us, you could come here to escape for a bit" Persephone apologised.

"I'm not angry at you or your decisions. I know that I would have done the same and I want to thank you for making the decision you did" Evie thanked as she reached over and took Persephone's hands in her own. "But at least I know that where I'm going" Evie signed.

"Isle Of The Lost here I come"


	28. ”Papa”

"Papa" The black and gold doors of the large meeting rooms were opened by two armour clad soldiers and Evie walked into the full meeting room -back in her long black dress, beautiful, natural hair and golden heels- with her head held high and an award-winning smile coated onto her lips. The spacious meeting room was a little smaller than the throne room in the castle and the black walls with white swirls of detailing were lined with gold, much like the doors that had elegant swirls of gold on it. Evie's golden heels clicked against the dark wooden floor as she walked into the room, her long dress trailing behind her as she walked through the centre of the room, surrounded by large pillars that reached the high ceilings. Grand chandeliers hung from the ceilings that had light candles to light up the room as well as the candle holders that stood near the large, marble pillars in the centre of the room. At the back of the room, stood a large wooden table surrounded by wooden chairs and old men and women all dressed in black suits who all turned around once they heard the doors and dropped into a low curtsy or bow at the sight of the princess.

A muscular man lifted his head from the back of the room as everyone bowed and curtsied at Evie's arrival and a large smile appeared on his lips at the sight of the blue-haired teenager. The man at the back of the room had a slender jaw that was covered in stubble from the beginnings of a modest beard and had deep blue eyes that matched Evie's dark brown ones in there shading. His dark blue hair was like fire on top of his head as it swooshed to the side while he ran his fingers through his fire-like hair. The large black suit he was wearing had a dark blue shirt underneath it with a white pocket kerchief was tucked perfectly into his pocket with the initials 'H.H.E.H' of his children -Harris, Hayden, Evie and Harley. The man -who was around 40 years old- moved to move around the table while Evie slowly lowed into a curtsy, her dress surrounding her in a large circle as she lowed her head in respect. "Princess Evelyn Queen, what a pleasure to see you again" The man spoke in a deep voice as Evie smiled up at him.

"Hello, your majesty" Evie greeted with a large smile as she giggles at the king's expression. She knew that he hated being called his royal status by the people in his family and Evie was no exception to his rule. Evie knew her father did want her to remember him as a king but as a man who read to her at night and taught her to dance, his smile never faltering as she repeatably stepped on his toes. Evie knew that her father always called her a princess because he wanted her to know that she was a real princess and therefore worthy of being treated and respected like one but he didn't want Evie to feel like he was better or higher in status to her. In her father's eyes, Evie was just as equal as Hayden, Harris and Harley and to him than anyone else in the world. "I'm sorry, old habits die hard I guess" Evie apologised as her father extended his hand for her to take, allowing her to stand fully and get out of her low curtsy. "I missed you, papa" Evie corrected with a large smile, showing off her pearly white teeth and faint freckles on her cheeks as her eyes flashed with happiness and love. She knew her mother's opinions about her father but Evie was trying hard to hard to ignore her mother's words and make her own judgement on the man she hadn't seen in almost ten years.

"I have missed you, my darling daughter" Hades replied as he turned to the rest of the council, one of which was Hayden who was smiling at his sister -nodding his head at the princess once they locked eyes- quickly ordering everyone out of the room in favour of spending time with two out of his three children. Everyone bowed and curtsied before leaving the room except for Hayden who moved closer to his father and sister and gently pulled her into a hug, smiling softly when Evie wrapped her arms around his torso and placed her head on his chest while Hayden kissed the top of her head. "You look amazing Evie, in your dress and heels. You look truly grown up" Evie smiled proudly at her father's words, her mind thinking back to all the struggles she encountered to show people that she wasn't the young and innocent girl they knew and that she had in fact grown up -a fact not many people in her fathers side of the family wanted to admit out loud. "So, what brings you here? I asked Persephone to come and get you so we could have dinner later on?" Hades added with a large smile as Hayden and Evie separated from their hug.

"Well, I wanted to get to know everyone so I thought that dinner could be moved up" Evie suggested with a large smile as she looked at her unsure brother and father. She knew that they had work to do but she just wanted to spend some time with her family before she left to go to the Isle Of The Lost to eventually see her friends again. She, of course, was yet to tell her father and brother about that detail but she was sure that it would come up at dinner, something which made her quite apprehensive. "You know, so we could reconnect after not seeing each other for ten years. I have missed our family dinners and Persephone is cooking which means that I get to have her homemade Devils Pudding again. And I haven't had that in so long. It also means that I get to meet Harley and I can't wait to meet my step-sister" Evie happily added with a large smile.

"Okay, well I will get changed and get Harley and then will meet you two in the dining room in an hour" Hades decided with a large smile as Evie laughed softly before rushing to give her father a large hug, wrapping her arms around his torso as Hades placed a gentle kiss on top of Evie's head. Evie looked back at her older brother and held out her hand for him to take, lacing her fingers with his as she pulled him closer and into the hug as she wrapped an arm around his torso as she concealed her face into his chest as Hades wrapped an arm around both of his children. "Now, both of you continue on and I will meet you with Harley in the dining room" Hades announced kindly as Evie and Hayden released themselves from the hug. Evie smiled before nodding her head at her father before grasping Hayden's hand and quickly rushing out of the meeting room -being followed by Hayden who quickly waved his father goodbye before running to catch up with Evie-and leaving a smiling Hades stood in the centre of the empty meeting room.

Evie smiled politely at the royal members of the court and servants that she passed in the long halls of the castle on her way to the large kitchen that her step-mother was currently in as she prepared the finishing touches to the diner. Persephone was never one to allow the chiefs to cook her family secret recipes when she was perfectly capable to cook her own food without the help of others apart from her family -which in Evie's opinion made the food better, knowing that somebody in her family put their love into making the food without anyone else's help. Evie quickly let go of Hayden's hand as she opened the kitchens wooden doors and quickly looked around to spot her step-mother who was -as always- at the back of the kitchen in her own section of the large room as she continued to silently cook the last parts of dinner. Evie smiled as she moved through the kitchen -holding her dress tightly so she didn't get in peoples way- and towards her step-mother at the back of the room that was covered in a black marble. Evie reached her step-mother and gently tapped her on the shoulder as Evie rested her arm on the black and white marble counter while Persephone turned to face the blue-haired teen with a large smile on her lips.

"Hey, where's Hayden?" Persephone asked as the kitchen doors opened once more and in walked the king which caused every chief stop and bow or curtsy to Hayden as he nodded at the kitchen staff before he walked towards his mother and step-sister, his eyes full of happiness and humour when he noticed Evie had placed the back of her hand over her mouth to stop the small giggles of laughter escape her lips. Hayden smiled at his mother as he kissed her cheek lovingly before turning to Evie and crossing his arms over his chest with a small smile on his lips. The rest of the kitchen continued with their work as Evie smiled and twisted side to side nervously, her lips creating a large grin that almost split her whole face in half while her eyes shined with happiness. "What did you two do? Evie looks like a kid caught stealing the chocolate chip cookies" Persephone laughed which made Evie think back to when Lonnie had walked in on the Rotten Four trying to make a love cookie for Ben.

Evie missed her friends dearly and she found that almost everything was remembering her of them -even the marble counters in the kitchen reminded Evie of the kitchen in Castle Beast that she spend lots of sleepless night in with Lumiere as he taught her how to dance and how to cook his favourite recipes- but she loved the ideas that related themselves to her friends whenever she thought about them. Surprisingly, Evie didn't focus on the fact that she died but was now focusing on the amazing memories she did manage to make with her friends and the ones should be able to make in the future when she -hopefully- returns to the land of the living. She missed her friends of course but having so many reminders made it easier to cope with the fact that she would have to wait a little longer in order to be able to hug them again and would have to go through the Isle Of The Lost. Evie didn't mind that through as she knew that the possibility that she would land anywhere but Oceana's castle was very slim and that would mean that it would be a matter of days until she was able to move back to Auradon and be with her friends again.

"I didn't do anything" Evie denied quickly as her eyes turned into ones full of innocence which made Persephone smile as she leaned forward and placed her hand on Evie's check, rubbing thumb on her soft skin as Evie leaned into her touch. Hayden smiled as he shook his head, unable to believe that Evie had used the 'chocolate-eyes-of-cuteness-and-death' as Mal once called them on Persephone and that it had actually worked. "I told papa that dinner was moved up just like you asked. He said he and Harley would be in the dining room in one hour" Evie added with an innocent smile which made Persephone smile as she shook her head at her step-daughters actions. Persephone was the one to teach Evie now to play innocent and it seemed like the girl had listened intently to her lessons because she was a master of it, and almost had Persephone fooled into believing that she was innocent.

"Okay then, thank you, Evie. Why don't you and Hayden start pealing the vegetables while I check on the meat? We are having your favourite, a Roast Dinner" Persephone reveals with a large smile as Evie nods enthusiastically at her step-mother before quickly walking over to the corner of the back kitchen where the vegetables were kept as Hayden followed and Persephone continued to check on the meat in the large ovens. Hayden smiled as he and Evie worked in comfortable silence to dice and place the vegetables in pots ready to be cooked. Hayden noticed that Evie was cutting the food up far more quickly than she did when she was five and questioned her about it, wondering who taught her to cut as quickly at Queen Tiana does which made Evie smile fondly at the memories of Lumiere teaching her to cook professionally while Mrs Pott's taught her how to make her food look as marvellous as it tasted -a trick Evie was glad she learned from the former tea-pot.

"When I was in Auradon and at Queen Belle's and King Adam's castle to help the new king with work regarding the Isle Of The Lost and its children, Lumiere and Mrs Pott's taught me how to cook when it was late at night and I couldn't sleep. They said that it was safer than me walking the Rose gardens for hours on end and not be found for hours because I would fall asleep" Evie joked as she continued to mince the vegetables on the chopping board, her eyes never leaving the board as the sharp knife continued to quickly cut up the white cabbage and quarter the sprouts. "They taught me everything I know and I had a lesson every week -at least- for around six months until..." Evie's smile dropped as she remembered that usually, she would be working with Ben to finish her work so she could go down and start her cooking lesson with Lumiere and Mrs Pott's in the castle's expensive kitchen.

"I'm sorry" Hayden apologised as he reached over and placed a hand on Evie's, as she stopped cutting and placed the knife on the chopping board, a dazzled off look in her chocolate eyes as she spaced out. Hayden placing his hand on hers, broke Evie out of her train of thought as she looked at her brother and smiled at him reassuringly. "They sound amazing and so do you. I mean, helping the King of Auradon with his work with The Isle Of The Lost and practically changing peoples lives for the better. You accomplished everything you said you wanted to as a child" Hayden praised, his voice full of pride as he spoke to his younger sister about all the changes she was able to make in such a short time.

Evie shook her head to get rid of the memories with her family as she smiled kindly at her step-brother's words as her pearly white teeth shone in the light of the kitchen. "Thanks, Hayden. You know, I couldn't ask for a better brother even if I tried. You are the best thing in this Underworld" Evie praised as she gently nudged his arm with her shoulder, her smile widening intensely when Hayden jokingly rolled his shoulder back while softly rubbing it, unable to stop the wide smile on his lips as he heard his sister's beautiful laughter filling the room. It made Hayden happy to hear his sister's laugh and know that she was happy and not sad about losing her friends and as he looked at Evie's eyes that shone with happiness, he knew that she was truly having a good time. However, he just couldn't ignore the small sliver of sadness in her eyes that bordered the happiness, reducing its size and containing it -like something was preventing Evie's happiness from growing.

Evie went back to cook once her laughter died down into small chuckles as Hayden placed down the cutlery and watched his sister intently, examining the girl's soft features and parted lips as she signed loudly like she was reliving an old memory again. It bothered Hayden that his sister kept dozing off into some form dreamland land -like she missed somebody so much but they refused to leave her mind- and that Hayden had no clue how to help his younger sister with everything that had happened with the past couple of days. Before he knew it, Evie had begun to chop up the vegetables on his chopping board, expertly moving them to her chopping board made of wood as she cut and minced the remaining vegetables quickly while quietly whistling. It still amazed Hayden that even though she was the daughter of the Evil Queen, Evie looked to _whistle while she worked_ but he suspected it had something to do with the son of Dopey -who he still had yet to get more information on other than that Doug helps Evie with the numbers of the business.

"Mum" Hayden called out once he had broken out of his trance, turning around after one last glance towards Evie -who hadn't indicated to Hayden that she even noticed his voice after he spoke- and looking at his mother who was at the other side of the kitchen, slowly stirring the gravy and setting up the plates for dinner while Evie continued to cook and prepare the vegetables. Hayden walked towards his mother and rested his arm on the counter next to her, a loud sigh escaping his lips as Persephone nodded at Hayden for him to continue. "Does Evie seem to be acting... not herself to you? I mean she seems happy to be home and I'm glad but she doesn't seem all that happy in general" Hayden quietly asked his mother, being careful to make sure that Evie couldn't hear him.

"Well she lost her friends, the love of her life and her family all in one day" Persephone answered back with a sad smile. Hayden was about to respond and argue that Persephone that Evie was with her family but he was quickly cut off as his mother raised her eyebrow. "Now come on Hayden, you can't tell me that some of your friends aren't treated like family" Persephone added with a slight smile as she watched Hayden huff in annoyance that his mother was correct. Again. "I know you care about Evie and that is very sweet of you but the girl lost everyone who has ever helped her through whatever hell she went through when she was alone on the Isle Of The Lost without us. Those people are her family regardless of blood or anything else so we just have to accept that the innocent and carefree Evie doesn't visit often and this Evie that you see here -the one who doesn't smile as brightly as before or doesn't see the world in shades of pink and blues and gold- is the Evie that survived with her friends. We just have to help her" Persephone continued with a small smile as she started to dish up the food -with Hayden's help- as she placed large piles of mash potatoes and freshly cooked roast potatoes onto the plate as Hayden placed the meat on the plate, being careful with how much certain people in the family get.

"Here are the vegetables. Freshly cooked and piping hot" Evie smirked as she placed a couple of bowls full of different vegetables in front of Persephone, a small smile on her ruby red lips as Persephone looked at Evie with a raised eyebrow and a hand resting on her hip. Evie signed as she wriggled her fingers at Persephone, soft blue sparks flying off of the tips of Evie's manicured nails as she sheepishly smiled at her step-mother. "Okay, I may have used a little magic to cook the food. But can you blame me? It's a roast dinner!" Evie practically squealed as Persephone shook her head and started to dish out the vegetables onto the different sized plates for all the members of the royal family. Evie smiled as she helped dish out the dinner with her family, her smile showing off her pearly white teeth as Hayden glanced repeatedly at his younger sister and wondered how somebody with such a large smile, could hide so much pain and heartache and look so elegant while doing so?

* * *

Evie smiled kindly as she sat down at the large, dark oak table in the centre of the large dining room. The room was shaped in a rectangle with high ceilings and white chandeliers hanging elegantly from the ceiling with candles that had strong flames flickering on top of them. The wall opposite the dining table was covered in large windows that reached the top of the room and allowed plenty of light to shine through the window and into the large rectangular room. The other walls of the room were wallpapered a beautiful pattern of elegant swirls of black on a plain white background and small details of gold that was reflected against a large amount of sunlight shining through the clear windows. The floor was covered in light oak wood and the remaining three walls that weren't covered in windows had large paintings depicting some of the smartest and brightest minds of Hades' family -including an artists depiction of what Evie would have looked like at sixteen after news circulated that she had left the Isle Of The Lost with her friends and went to Auradon at special request of the young -soon-to-be-king Ben- hanging on the walls, bordered by gold and had small planks under them informing everyone of who the painting was by and who is represented.

Evie looked around the table at all her family who had started to eat their dinner and noticed all the smiles on their faces, especially the person opposite her. Harley was sat opposite Evie, a large smile on her lips as she moved her dinner around on the plate, her long blue hair casting a curtain around her face so her father and brother -who she was sat in between- couldn't see her almost glowing dark brown eyes. Harley looked like she was a dream world, unable to break away into the real world as her eyes shined with mischief and love for somebody, Evie couldn't pinpoint exactly why though as she had never seen that type of love shine so brightly in somebodies eyes who was Harley's age. The girl was dressed casually, with a long-sleeved grey turtleneck which was tucked into a dark red skirt that ended at her covered legs. Her grey tights covered her olive coloured skin and matched her grey top as her slip-on red shoes had small bows at the tips of them. Even though the girl's dark blue hair was supposed to be pulled back with a dark red hairband with small flowers lining it, her hair still managed to frame her chubby-cheeked face that held dark freckles covering under her dark brown eyes.

Persephone turned to look at Evie after she noticed that the princess hadn't started to eat her dinner and signed in happiness as she saw that Evie was looking directly at Harley. "Evie, why don't you eat some of your food?" Persephone suggested as the two males at the table lifted their head to see that Evie hadn't eaten a single part of her food. Evie shook her head and continued to look at Harley, wondering what was going through Harley's head to make her smile so widely. "Harley" Persephone turned her attention to her daughter who raised her head and smiled widely at her mother, her eyes slowly moving to Evie's dark eyes. If Harley noticed that see and Evie were almost exactly the same -with the same shade of blue hair, chubby cheeks covered in large freckles and warm brown eyes- then she didn't show it as Harley continued to smile largely at her step-sister. "What's wrong, princess? You haven't eaten any of your food"

Evie's smile widened when she heard Harley's nickname from Persephone, recalling the times when Persephone would call her 'princess' to boost her confidence and enforce the idea that Evie truly was a princess. Persephone always called Evie 'princess' so it made the blue-haired teenager smile as she realised that Harley got to have the same nickname as she did all those years ago. "I'm not that hungry, mama" Harley replied, breaking Evie out of her thoughts as she looked back at her step-sister.

Persephone raised an eyebrow at her daughter's words. "Or you just don't want to eat because you want to ask Evie something but are too afraid to ask her" Persephone finished for her daughter, making Harley blush out of embarrassment and nod her head. Evie giggled at her step-sister's actions as she started to eat her dinner so it wouldn't get cold. Evie nodded for Harley to ask away as she cut up her food and started to eat, her smile never faltering as she looked upon the excited face of her step-sister that seemed to glow like a thousand fireflies.

"Well, it is true that you are counseller to King Ben" Harley started of happily as she too started to cut up her food while her father and brother smiled at one another before they to continued to eat their food. "Is it true that you designed all the dresses and suits at Cotillion and your friends at King Ben's coronation? Mama said you did but that would mean that you made all those dresses in less than three months without any help so unless you have magic I don't think that's possible but I believe mama. And what about your friends? Is it true that Mal defended Maleficent at Coronation because Mal was good and Maleficent wasn't?" Harley excitably asked which caused Evie to giggle at the girl's enthusiasm to learn all the details of Evie's life in Auradon.

"Well, I was King Ben's councillor. We worked together to improve the lives of the people on the Isle Of The Lost" Evie started to explain. "And yes, I did design all those dresses and suits. I did use some of my magic but not a lot" Evie answered back with a cheeky smile as Harley's eyes widened. Evie knew that Harley didn't know about her magic and if questions were to arise about Evie and the possibility of her having magic, then they would have been denied by the royal family so Harley would have never known about Evie's magical abilities. Of course, Harley had magic too, not as strong as Evie's or Mal's but it was still running through the little girl's veins and because she had to have magical lessons, Harley wondered how much knowledge Evie obtained about her magic that could help Harley understand hers better. "And for your last question, yes. Mal was able to defeat Maleficent because Mal had more love and goodness in her heart and love and kindness defeats all evil in the world when its put to the test." Evie finished.

"Do you miss them?" Harley asked with a small smile making Evie stop her movements and look up at her step-sister, a saddened look in her dark brown eyes. Evie nodded and lowed her eyes, biting the inside of her cheek as she remembered what she had to tell her father and brother about while also telling Harley that she would have to leave before the too got the chance to properly bond. "Well, what about the portal? You could go through there and see your friends. And you can always return here so you and I could bond. Mama says that you are an amazing dancer and I love dancing so maybe you can teach me more than the waltz that the teachers are teaching me about" Harley offered with a small giggle as Evie raised her gaze to met the little girls gaze, her eyes now full of happiness and joy at the idea of seeing her friends but also relief that it wasn't her who had to bring it up in conversation.

"Don't be silly, Harley" Hayden chuckled as he looked down at his younger sister, a smile on his lips as he thought about Harley's words. "Evie wouldn't leave this place and she's the princess of the Underworld so she can't leave, Harley. Of course, she misses her friends but we're her family. She can't leave us. Right?" Hayden added as he looked at Evie's sad features and watched while she breathed in deeply as she shook her head, yes, indicating that she was -and could- leave the Underworld. Evie didn't know how her family were going to react with the news but she knew that her father was going to be harder to influence into letting her leave than Hayden was going to be. Hayden understood Evie more than anyone else ever has but she also knew that he loved her and cared about her and still was going to be difficult to tell, even if he would understand.

"I'm sorry guys but Harley's right" Evie signed as she looked at her father and brother, both of which had shocked faces. Evie glanced into her brother's eyes and saw a sliver of understanding hidden under the layers of hurt and shock and she knew that Hayden knew why Evie wanted to see her best friends again and why it was so soon. "I want to use the Portal Of The Living to go back to my friends and continue with my life" Evie decided. "You know what happened to me. You know that I risked my life to save the kingdom and I guess that a little part of me was glad that it ended the way it did so I could meet Harley and see all of you again but an even bigger part of me wished -and still wishes- that I could go back home and see my friends grow up, get married and have kids just like I planned to do before Cotillion. I miss them and I miss Auradon. I called that place home for seven months now" Evie signed as she looked at her family, wishing that one of them would speak as the room transitioned into silence.

"I know what you are going to say; that it's too dangerous and that it is no use as I would go to the Isle Of The Lost instead of Auradon but I don't care" Evie added as her father ran his fingers through his hair while Hayden looked deep in thought, something that worried Evie to no end. Her brother was never one to think things over when it came to his little sister because he trusted her judgment and opinions but when he did, it was always serious. Evie knew that when her brother thought about her decisions, it meant that her decisions weren't usually the best or had large consequences. Evie also understood why Hayden was contemplating his words carefully because, as a sister herself, she knew that family is one of the most important things and knowing that somebody in that family is in trouble because of an idea you encouraged is a terrible feeling. The blue-haired princess grasped that her brother was protective and she loved and valued that part of him but she didn't know how that side of him was going to affect his decision, something that was putting her at the edge of her seat. Evie's father, however, seemed to make his thoughts about her plan very clear.

"Why is your first thought when you come back here that you must leave again? I have only just got you back and I refuse you lose you to a place as horrid and hideous as the Isle Of The Lost" Hades responded, his voice low and cold as he spoke and ran his fingers through his hair in impediment. "If you knew the answer to your question them why ask it? Like I said before, I refuse to let you go because you want to see your friends again. I had to allow you to leave last time because of your mother but now, I don't have to listen to anything she or anyone else says so you are staying in the Underworld. End of conversation. You are too young to make these type of decisions" Hades quickly added which made Evie shake her head in denial.

"Harley, go upstairs into your room. I will be there in a moment" Persephone ordered as Harley obeyed and quickly got up and left the room. Harley stopped in the corridor of the castle as she heard her family continue to talk loudly, so being the inquisitive little girl that she was, Harley quickly dismissed the guards in the corridor and pressed her ear to the door of the dining room. She didn't want to spy on her own family but she knew that her mother would never tell her the truth because she was 'too young to know the truth' but Harley understood that she was fed up with being in the dark about her own family.

Back in the room, Evie shook her head at her father's words as she glared at the man at the head of the table, her eyes full of anger but also held a sliver of sadness as she knew that her father would never agree to her plan. She hoped that he would understand the pain of losing a friend -not just a friend but a family- and be more accepting to her plan of living in Auradon but visiting her biological family every weekend or so. Evie felt her anger build up as she watched her father continue to eat his dinner like he didn't just forbid her from seeing her friends again. Evie had her father's temper, something that she spent years trying to control but whenever somebody tried to control the blue-haired princess, her anger seemed to explode. Her father, of course, knew this as he suffered from the same problems of controlling his emotions but he didn't expect Evie to respond.

The teenager was so good at managing her emotions -especially her anger- so Hades almost forgot about his daughter's temper. Evie had a strong mind and she hated being told what she could or could not do and to hear it from her father -the man who said that she had to listen to no one's orders- hurt and angered the teen even more. She was hurt because she thought that he would understand the value of family considering he was the one to instal it in her at such a young age but as she locked eyes with his blue ones that seemed to have darkened with some emotion Evie could not name, she no longer cared about the reasons her father had to use the word 'refuse' and only cared about making sure that he knew that she not some child anymore but a teenager who deserved to be heard loud and proud.

"No" Evie replied as her father stopped what he was doing and looked at her with shock. Not once in Evie's life did she ever say no to her father about something as big as a life-changing decision -even when he was telling her to follow her mother's wishes, she still agreed because she believed that was what her father wanted- but now that she had started, Evie couldn't seem to stop. "It's my life and if I want to leave this place and go back to my friends then I will. Nothing's stopping me, as Hayden said, I'm the princess so why can't you just trust me when I say that I have everything figured out. I am not some little girl who steps on your toes when we dance anymore. I am a teenager who has fought her own battles and slain her own demons and I _refuse_ -as you so put it- to let you talk to me like I haven't done anything in my life bar take dancing lessons and dream about happily ever after. I have so much and yet you still treat me like I'm five again, a little girl looking up to her father for approval. You are my father, not my king" Evie added as she looked at her father with a heated glare of a pleading nature.

She didn't want to argue with her father but she wanted him to know that she wasn't the little girl he remembered and she wasn't going to back down. She also wanted him to know that she was not his subject, that she was his _daughter_ above any royal status and should be treated with respect and kindness and allowed to make her own mistakes and fight her own battles, no matter the consequences of her actions. Evie wanted her father to know that she had grown up since he had last seen her and was more then capable then weighing up the pros and cons for her actions then she was as a six-year-old. Like Evie said she had grown up and for better or for worse, she no longer had an innocent view of life and knew what waited for her up in Earth if she was to go back to the land of the living. Evie knew her father had to stop seeing her as a little girl and instead as the young lady she currently is. She knew it was difficult to understand that your child is all grown up -especially because Evie found that she often treated Dizzy as a child when she was actually in the last years of being a pre-teen and the blue-haired teen knew that she had to stop herself from doing so- but she also knew that it wasn't impossible if her father just opened his eyes more and saw everything that Evie was doing with her life with the help of her friends and family.

"Evie" Persephone warned from beside her, her voice even and calm as she reached out and placed his hand on Evie's hand. Evie looked back at her step-mother and slowly took linked her fingers with Persephone's as the older women looked back at her husband who raised an eyebrow at his wife's actions. "I can see where you are coming from, Hades, but don't you think that you need to see that Evie is a grown up now and worthy of making her own decisions, no matter how much we may disagree with them" Persephone hinted as she gently squeezed Evie's hand for reassurance.

"Papa" Evie called out, more gently than before, with love lacing her voice as she looked at her brother and father. "I know that you two want to protect me and that you think that by banishing me from doing something you think is dangerous then you are somehow protecting me from the world above" Evie continued as she looked at her father. "I know to see me all grown-up is difficult. I had such a hard time seeing Dizzy as the pre-teen she is instead of the little five-year-old girl obsessed with candy that I remember so fondly. I know the feeling of watching someone you count as your child grow up before your very eyes and suddenly find yourself having to change for that person but I did it, so why can't you? Why can't you see that I am no longer the little girl chancing after her father's affections and praise because my own mother, told me that he didn't love me? I have tried so hard to not be that girl and with my friends, I am finally able to ignore every pressure I put on myself and instead laugh and cry with them without the fear of looking weak. And yet, after all my work, you still look at me with broken eyes and a small smile, like you're frustrated with me and my decisions, which makes me want to become that small girl again -a girl who is long gone and won't come back" Evie signed as she continued to talk, looking pointedly at her father and ignoring the large pieces of concern fitting together in Persephone's eyes.

"We are your family and we want what's best for you-" Hayden started as Evie glanced at her brother, raising her eyebrow at his words as Hayden stopped talking.

"And yet you fail to see me" Evie argued with a raised eyebrow as she slowly removed her hand from Persephone's and instead, rested it on her lap with her other hand. "You see a small girl with pigtails and chubby checks covered in freckles who can't reach the handles of the doors, let alone open them. You fail to see the real me, the one you are currently stopping from seeing her family. I have grown up so much since you last saw or heard from me and you have no one to blame for that but... me" Evie revealed while her father and brother share a confused look. " _I_ let my mothers words get to me, _I_ was the one who believed I was a nobody and _I_ was the one to follow her words even when my friends told me not too. But the people you should be thanking, thanking them for saving me more times then I like to admit, are the people you are currently stopping me from seeing. They are the people who I choose to include in my family because they helped me through everything and it is so... scary to have to go through all this -here with you, Papa, and Hayden, Persephone and Harley- and not have them near to be able to calm me down. I just want to see them one more time. So their memory of me isn't me dying on the deck of a boat, covered in my own blood" Evie added quietly.

"You should have seen Dizzy's face when she saw me, Mal's face when she noticed the blood and Uma's eyes when my eyes started to flutter close" Evie continued, her voice just above a whisper as Hayden lowed his head as he listened to his sisters broken voice crack with fresh tears that she refused to let fall. "That is their last memory of me. Dizzy saw somebody she considered a mother die when that same person told her for years that every good-guy gets their happily ever after. At that moment, Dizzy was focused to grow up and handle so many emotions at the same time that myself or anybody else didn't help her and teach her about. Because of me, Dizzy has to grow up so much faster then what I ever wanted her too so please, let me go back and spent time with Dizzy. I love that little girl so much to the point where I would be willing to spend a hundred years on the Isle Of The Lost if it meant that I got to spend the remainder of my life with my family"

Hayden raised his head once his sister stopped talking, looking Evie up and down as the blue-haired teen lowed her head, her dark brown eyes welling with tears as her lip quivered with sadness. Hayden looked at his father, nodding his head towards his sister as Hades placed his elbow on the arm of his chair and carefully rested his chin in his palm while the God Of The Underworld looked concerningly at his daughter and wife, who shrugged her shoulders and looked pleadingly at her husband for him to speak to her. Evie slowly lifted her head as she looked at her brother and father, noticing the concerned and unknowing looks in their eyes before she slowly stood up from her chair and wiped her eyes away from the tears. Hayden and Hades' attention quickly switched to Evie as she stood up, looking apologetically at Persephone who tried to gently grab Evie's hand while the princess moved her hand away from the women's, not ignoring the flash of hurt that shimmered in her step-mothers eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. I should just... just go" Evie signed as she quickly moved around the table and towards the large doors, quickly opening them to be able to rush down the empty hallways of the castle and towards her room. Harley looked at her step-sisters retreating form and immediately started to follow her, making sure Evie didn't see her as they both made their way to Evie's room.

Persephone signed as she shook her head, leaning back in her chair and ran her fingers through her long hair in frustration. Hades copied his wife's actions as Hayden quickly stood up -his chair scraping on the wooden flooring- as he started to pace the length of the dining room while Persephone and Hades watched their son with worry. They knew Hayden loved his step-sister very much and would do anything to make sure that Evie was happy -whether that was in the Underworld or up above was irrelevant to Hayden so long as his sister had a smile on her face- but they were worried that Hayden was going to do something rash and irresponsible. They knew that even if Evie had meant to, she had still revealed details about her mother and life on the Isle of The Lost which were going to get to Hayden, especially considering that Hayden wanted to protect Evie with his life -he had wanted to do so before he was even ten years old.

"I feel like I'm going to be sick" Hayden grumbled as he continued to pace the length of the room. "How can you two sit there and have calm looks on your faces when Evie - _our_ little blueberry- has just told us that her own mother, the women who gave birth to that amazingly confident young lady, emotionally manipulated her into believing the opposite of what we have tried so hard to tell her for all these years? My little sister has spent the last ten or so years with that monster, believing that she is just... I can't even say it" Hayden continued as he turned towards his mother and father, leaning his arms of the back of the chair as he lowed his head. "What are we going do? Because I have half a mind of going up there myself and having a very long conversation with everyone and anyone on that horrible island and even in Auradon whoever made my little sister feel less then what she is" Hayden growled out protectively as Persephone quickly up from her seat and walked over to Hayden, pulling the boy into a loving hug. Hayden wrapped his arms around his mother's torso and buried his head into her shoulder, his anger retreating from his tense body as Persephone gently ran her fingers through his hair.

"Give Evie a little time to cool down" Persephone instructed her husband and son, who both raised their head to look at the women like she was crazy. "Evie is going through a lot right now, and having a protective father and brother who want the name of every person who has ever made her feel bad will only make her relive painful memories I'm not sure she's ready to see again. Give her a couple of hours and then, when you and Hades have cooled down, go and see her. I'm sure she just wants to be alone right now" Persephone explained with a small smile as Hayden nodded and slowly let go of his mother.

"Okay, well I think that I'm going to finish my meeting in the meantime" Hayden signed, not sounding very happy that he was forced to leave Evie to deal with things on her own. "If anything happens, call or text me and I will be right there. I don't care if I'm in a meeting or not, just call me" Hayden added before he gently kissed his mother on the cheek goodbye and nodded to his father before he too left the room, leaving Persephone and Hades in silence as the two thought about their next course of action.

"So what's your decision?" Persephone asked softly as Hades raised his head to look at his wife concerningly. "I mean, Evie is going to go through a lot regardless of whether she goes to the Isle of The Lost or stays here so it's just a matter of what are we going to do to make sure that Evie has a smile on her face. Let her go and possibly risk her seeing her mother but in the end, living with her friends or forcing her to stay here with nobody but us to talk to and a thousand new responsibilities as the princess that she doesn't even know about yet" Persephone signed. "I'm not related to her, I'm only the step-mother but you are her father. Your blood is running through her veins and she is more like you than anyone I have ever seen, so you need to ask yourself what would you di in her situation" Persephone concluded as Hades extended his arms out to his wife. Persephone smiled before she walked closer to her husband and slowly sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around Hades' neck as he wrapped his own arms around his wife's waist.

"Whatever I decide to do, relates to how you view my proposition. I know that Evie adored you and I have no doubt that she still looks up at you, even though she may not share blood with you. Evie loves you and you know that, so come on. I need you to help me make a decision on what I'm going to do" Hades explained with a large smile as he placed a gentle kiss on Persephone's cheek. "So, what if Evie went up but we made sure that she is more protected then last time and goes nowhere near her mother's house?" Hades asked quietly as Persephone smiled kindly at her husband's thoughts.

"I would say that that is the best thing, I think, we could possibly do to make sure that Evie has a smile on her face as quickly as possible"

* * *

Mal smiled as she gently rocked side to side in the quiet living room of the castle, with Dizzy's legs wrapped around her torso as the little girls head rested comfortably on Mal's shoulder, quiet snores escaping the girls lips while Dizzy's arms were wrapped loosely around Mal's neck. The purple-haired teenager smiled as she looked around the room, noticing that the only remaining people in the room were Ben, Uma, Harry, Audrey -along with her family- and the former king and queen of Auradon. Everyone else had decided to go to sleep only moments ago and now, the room was descended into a thick layer of comfortable silence as Audrey held her sleepy brother in her arms on one of the sofas while Uma and Harry sat cuddled up to one another on the opposite sofa, with Uma's feet tucked into themselves so she could lean against Harry's side while Harry played with the long braids of Uma's hair. Ben was sat on the middle sofa, with his mother sat beside him and his father beside her as Queen Belle read a book quietly - _Aladdin_ had always been her favourite- and King Adam checked his phone for any new emails, of course, there were many. King Stephan and Queen Leah had decided to go home a short while back, once it had become midday, but left Aurora and Prince Philip with their children at the castle after they had proclaimed that -with Queen Belle's and King Adam's permission- they would like to stay.

Even though it was only around six O'Clock and the sun still shone brightly in the clear blue, Mal herself could feel the blanket of tiredness wrap itself around her shoulders as she stood in the middle of two of the sofa -between Ben and Uma- and rocked Dizzy side to side to get the little girl to sleep peacefully. The princess appreciated that it had been a long day and after seeing the tired eyes of Jay and Carlos, Jane and Lonnie, she had all but ordered them to go to bed and rest. Mal knew that her friends would need the extra sleep for the up in coming days that would be filled with interviews and looks of pity from almost everyone once the news of Evie's death reached the kingdoms ears. She didn't want to worry about that now though as she looked down to see Dizzy's half-open eyes looking up at her with so much love it made Mal's cold thoughts melt away. Mal gently placed her lips to the top of Dizzy's head as the little girl's eyes fluttered closed again and she drifted off to sleep while Mal silently prayed to anyone that was listening that Dizzy wouldn't have another terrible nightmare.

The soft ping from King Adam's phone broke the room out of its silence as Mal turned to see the former king of Auradon angrily tapping at his phone, but his features were morphed into one of concern and worry for somebody that Mal couldn't pinpoint. "Adam, is everything alright?" Mal asked quietly as she continued to slowly rock side to side to allow Dizzy to sleep easily. Ben looked at his girlfriend concerningly, silently offering to take Dizzy to her room but Mal shook her head, gently moving Dizzy closer to her so she didn't fall while Mal smiled reassuringly at her boyfriend. Adam raised his eyes towards the teenager and signed, slowly standing and walking towards Mal with his hand extended to allow Mal to read his phone screen.

 _"Your Royal Highness, King Adam,_

 _I am sorry to interrupt you, sir, but the Royal Castle has just received numerous messages and emails regarding Cotillion and its events. I am sorry to say, but the Royal Castle is expected to make a statement about the recent events to the public before we lose the ability to control the press's response to the Cotillion. I know that this is supposed to be your time and the children's time to heal from your great loss but the people are expecting that somebody from the royal family or member of the court make a statement about the events. I know this may be unexpected but with your order, we can get the press into the meeting room within the next hour. Again, I am sorry, sir._

 _From, Lumiere"_

Mal signed as she finished reading the message, her eyes moving towards Uma who gently took the phone out of King Adam's hand once he offered it to her and quickly read the message from Lumiere, her eyes full of concern once she turned to look at Mal again. "Uma, can you take Dizzy to her room and get her ready for bed? I will be up there in a moment to tuck her in" Mal asked quietly as Uma nodded and slowly climbed off of the sofa -quickly giving Harry a small kiss on the kiss- before extending her arms out to Dizzy. Mal delicately turned Dizzy in her arms and allowed Uma to wrap her own arms around the little girl who quickly snuggled closer to Uma as soon as Uma had wrapped her arms around the girl. Uma smiled at the group before carefully moving to go out of the room and towards her own room in the castle to take Uma to bed, being careful to not wake the girl in her arms.

Back in the room, Mal felt a gentle tug on her wrist as she moved towards Ben and sat in his lap, his arms wrapped securely around her waist while Mal snuggled closer to her boyfriend. Mal signed as she played with the diamond purple and blue necklace around her neck, moving it in between her fingers as she appeared to be in deep thought. She knew that the press would have to know at some point but she didn't expect it to be that quickly -but then again, Mal knew that the public loved Evie and grew to accept the fashionista far quicker then what they did with the other VK's. To the public, Evie was a true princess. Sure, Evie may not have had the castle she always wanted or the Prince Charming she had pictured for so long but she had something better, she had love. Love for her version of Prince Charming, love for her friends and love for the people who supported her no matter what. Evie didn't a title or endearing subjects at her balcony each morning because she had her kindness and faith that no matter what road her life took, it would always lead her to her own version of 'happily ever after' and that was all Evie ever wanted.

Evie was the people's princess and to them, she was a princess in every sense of the word. Mal saw the way the young children would run to greet Evie as she stepped out of the castle, each one of them holding a design for a new dress that made Evie's eyes sparkle as she looked through each one of them, praising each and every child as she did so. Mal knew that Evie read and looked at every letter and drawing she received from young children and teenagers alike who inspired to be her and the purple-haired teenager knew that Evie spent her time replying to every letter, praising the person for their design or letter and giving them all her hope and love. The public truly did love Evie so Mal knew that it would only be a matter of time before questions were being raised about Evie's whereabouts and therefore, health.

"What do you guys want to do?" Queen Belle asked nicely after everyone -including Aurora and Prince Philip- had seen the phone screen. King Adam returned to his seat with the phone and signed at his wife's question, as he looked at the VK's in the room along with Audrey and Ben, who looked concerningly at one another before looking at Mal who had yet to speak.

"Well, there's no way we can get around this" Audrey started quietly, being careful not to wake Alex as he snuggled closer to his sister's side. Audrey moved her arm to wrapped around the little prince's shoulders as she played with the boy's hair, slowly lulling him back to sleep. "The press know something is wrong and I think that to take a hold of this, we need to tell the truth before this gets out of hand" Audrey added as she looked towards Mal, noticing the concerned look in Mal's eyes as she heard Audrey's words. "It doesn't have to be in person, we could get somebody else to do it or we could just release a statement to the Royal News. That way the press find out and you guys don't get hurt" Auaddressedessed Harry and Mal at the same time as she spoke, her smile growing into one made of concern when she watched Mal shake her head.

"No, I want to do it. Evie was a princess and the people deserve to know from a human about... everything that's happened and not just a statement from somebody unknown" Mal argued back with a small smile as she turned towards Harry, who was looking questioningly at the purple-haired teen, wondering why Mal would want his help in this when she knew that Harry wouldn't be able to say much about the death of the blue-haired princess. "Harry, can you wake up the rest of the VK's if they're asleep? I doubt they are and Lonnie and Jane are probably with Carlos and Jay because Dizzy is in her room. Can you bring them in here so maybe Queen Belle, King Adam, Audrey and Ben can fill them in on everything that's happened?" Mal asked and Harry nodded in agreement, quickly getting off the sofa, stopping at the side of the sofa to look down at Mal quickly.

Mal nodded reassuringly at the pirate before she gently took his hand in hers, a small smile on her lips as she noticed the sliver of worry in Harry's ocean blue eyes. "I'll be fine, I promise" Mal whispered as she moved off of Ben's lap and stood in front of Harry, his hand still clasped in hers as she looked up at him pleadingly. "I want to do this and if anything happens, you will be the first one I go to" Mal muttered as she gently pulled Harry into a hug while standing on her tip toes as Harry wrapped his arms protectively around her torso. Mal gently squeezed the pirate before moving back, placing her hand on Harry's cheek as he leaned into her touch, his eyes fluttering closed as he breathed in a sign of relief. "Now, go find Uma and look after her, I can take care of myself" Mal continued with a small smile, one that Harry could very clearly see was fake from the girl he considered his sister.

"You know, after everything we have been through, I would think that you would remember that I can read you like an open book" Harry whispered into her ear as they both pulled away, the pirate's eyes instantly seeing the saddened look in Mal's eyes as she looked towards the ground. Harry placed his fingers under the purple-haired teen's chin and slowly lifted her head up to see her emerald green eyes. "I'll come to find ya after all this is over. No one else and you can tell me everything that's happened and can rant if you want" Harry chuckled as Mal smiled thankfully at him before she pulled away from Harry fully. Harry's hand slowly slipped out of Mal's while the pirate moved towards the living room doors, a small smile on her lips as she watched Harry leave the living room. Mal moved her hair behind her ear as she signed, wondering what Harry had seen in her appearance or emotions to make him so protective of her.

The only person who could ever read Mal as easily as Uma and Evie could be Harry, who could focus solely on Mal and her actions and easily tell when something was wrong about the purple-haired teen -even if they were in a room full of people and Mal was faking everything so well that anyone else, including Jay and Carlos, thought that she was fine. Of course, Jay and Carlos knew their sister very well but they were also easily distracted -due to the fact that they were trained to steal and focus on everything at the same time and only remember the important things in the situation which meant that the fault of Mal's smile could often go unnoticed by the two boys. But Harry knew when something was wrong with the purple-haired dragon and when she was faking her emotions, something that became increasingly frustrating when Mal was trying to work and push her feelings down. Mal believed that she had a pretty good system for when it came to ignoring her emotions -to create small boxes in her kind and practically stuff her emotions into the box and bury it so deep in her mind that she forgot she even had the emotion to start with- but it seemed that only a select few, like Evie, Uma and specifically Harry, were about to still see the small boxes hidden in Mal's mind. It made Mal wonder if her system was actually a good system or if everyone else had gotten so used to Mal shutting everyone out that they forgot what she was like before she created her system.

She knew Jay still saw the real her, the one who would laugh, smile and cry in front of her family without the fear of somebody stabbing her in the back -although Mal was sure that, with the number of times she _had_ been stabbed in the back, she wouldn't have even felt it- but she also knew that Jay had no clue how to help her, a fact that she presumed made the ex-thief very angry with himself. Mal knew she wasn't the easiest person to deal with and she appreciated that -although it must have been hard for him- Jay had stepped back and allowed Uma, Evie or Harry to help Mal while he watched on the sidelines, close enough to protect Mal and the others but also far enough to not be in the way. Mal loved that about the ex-thief and she hoped that he would be able to wait a little longer before she felt comfortable talking to anyone, let alone her brother, about the pain in her chest that was trying -and failing- very had to ignore.

Audrey watched with slight wonder as she watched Mal's shoulders fall in comfort while Harry had been hugging her but rose instantly once he had left. It made the princess wonder how strong of a relationship the two VK's shared to be able to soothe each other down so quickly. Even if Mal didn't know it, Aurora knew that the teenager's shoulders were tense and her head was held high by nature, never once dropping to let her neck have a rest or even when she was holding Dizzy. A part of Aurora wondered if it was Maleficent's doing -that Maleficent had taught Mal the same lessons Aurora had received from her 'Fairy Godmother' to rule a kingdom- but another part of the princess knew that Mal had inherited it from her own mistakes and years of life. Aurora instantly knew that she wanted to know more about Mal -about Maleficent too- and understand just how much Maleficent had changed since her years on the Isle of The Lost.

"King Adam, Queen Belle," Mal called out as she quickly wiped her eyes -she didn't know that she had been crying until she felt the small tears fall down her pale cheeks- and turned around to see the whole room looking at the purple-haired teen expectingly, wondering what she was about to ask the former king and queen who were looking at the child who small smiles like they knew exactly what she was about to inquire from them. "Audrey's right. Something needs to happen and fast, so the press doesn't get the wrong ideas. Do you think you would be able to get the press her within the next half an hour or so?" Mal inquired with a nervous smile, one that quickly turned into relief upon seeing King Adam and Queen Belle nod at the teenager. "Thank you" Mal thanked before turning to Audrey, who was smiling kindly at the teenager -her smile trying to hide the nervousness she was feeling at the prospect of the press knowing about what had happened to Evie.

"Can you... Well, you know the press the best and-" Mal started before breathing in deeply, locking eyes with Audrey's and glancing pleadingly at her. "I was wondering that -with Uma and maybe Jane and Lonnie too- that you would be able to stand there too? You could help me as I haven't exactly done this before?" Mal asked. Audrey smiled and nodded before slowly standing up from the sofa. Aurora moved to pick up Alex but Audrey held out her hand gently, before lopping her arms around Alex and gently picking the little prince, who immediately wrapped his arms loosely around Audrey's neck, up from the sofa.

"It's okay, Mama" Audrey whispered as she moved Alex so his legs were wrapped around her waist and his arms around her neck. Aurora smiled appreciatingly at her daughter before stepping back, allowing Audrey to walk carefully towards Mal who smiled gratefully at the daughter of Sleep Beauty. "I'm going to take Alex to bed and then I will meet you later before the meeting. I'll also talk to Lonnie and Jane so you stay with Dizzy, I'm sure she will need you. Just call me if you need me, I'll be in the other room" Audry smiled before carefully curtsying to the Royals in the room and leaving, walking slowly down the corridors while whispering stories into Alex's ear so he didn't wake up like she did when he was little.

"I'm going to go find Dizzy, I'm sure she is waiting for me" Mal signed as she curtsied to the room, smiling lovingly at Ben as she leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss onto his cheek. "I love you" Mal waited for Ben to reply before pulling away, smiling at the room one last time before saying and final goodbye and leaving the room to go to her, Uma and Dizzy's new room in the Castle, her thoughts running away from her but all having one thing in common;

 _How was she going to tell Dizzy?_


	29. We're okay

The soft sound of knuckles hitting the wooden door of Dizzy, Uma and Mal's bedroom went unnoticed by the two people inside the room before the door opened, exposing a nervous Mal as she stepped into the bedroom and gently kicked the door closed with her heel-covered foot. Dizzy was sat at the edge of the bed in front of Uma as the older teenager brushed her hair free of their curls and Dizzy continued to play with the edge of her cyan coloured nighty. The little girl had gotten changed when she first entered the room into a cyan coloured, silk nightgown that was decorated beautifully with lace boarding the sweetheart neckline and edge of the nightgown while the cyan colour sparkled like a thousand specks of Pixie Dust in the fireplace's light as the drawn curtains allowed the soft glow of the sunset to shine into the room. Uma's head turned at the sound of the door opening, a small smile on her lips as she saw Mal, before getting off of the bed and walking towards Mal, meeting her in the middle of the room so Dizzy couldn't hear them easily.

"How is she?" Mal asked in concern as she looked over Uma's shoulder, watching a tired Dizzy move to lay under the covers of the large middle bed and snuggle closer to the silk pillow. Mal knew it was going to be difficult for the little girl to deal with Evie's death and it was going to take a toll on everyone, but she never expected Dizzy to be able to lie so perfectly to the point where even Mal started to believe that Dizzy's smile was real. When Dizzy was around people, she smiled kindly -maybe not as big as a smile as the little girl would normally be able to give, but Mal knew that they were no longer in a 'normal' situation- and made everyone, including Mal, belief that she was getting better and was slowly starting to accept the help from people she needed to be able to handle everything that seemed to be happening at once. However, Mal soon realised that when alone, all of Dizzy's protective walls came crumbling down and her true self was revealed to anyone who was looking at the little girl at the time. Dizzy's eyes were already filled with tears and she curled herself into a ball like she didn't want anyone to come near her. It made Mal realise that the little girl was breaking -badly- and that she had to fix it.

Mal looked back at Uma and noticed her tired eyes and parted lips like she was too tired to stand as the daughter of Ursula gently swayed side to side. Mal reached out and took Uma's hands, steading the princess as she looked at her concerningly and Uma shook her head, smiling thankfully at Mal while the purple-haired teen gently squeezed the girls hands reassuringly. "Are you alright? You seem really tired. Maybe you should stay here and get some rest, prepare for the storm of people we are going to have to deal with tomorrow" Mal suggested before Uma shook her head, no.

"No, it's fine. I'm fine" Uma reassured with a kind smile. "Thank you, though. For the worry. As for Dizzy, she says she doesn't feel great - a headache, aching bones, tired eyes, the whole lot. Her mind has been working too much with her trying to fake every emotion" _Oh, so she wasn't the only one to notice it,_ Mal thought with a sad smile. "That it's made her sick, really sick even. Mal, I don't know about this illness because Oceana usually dealt with illness in the castle whenever somebody got sick and I highly doubt that Dizzy would talk about this to anyone outside the group. Mal, I don't know what to do" Uma admitted with a concerned look as Mal nodded in agreement.

"I'll talk to Ben after this meeting to see if he can quickly get Oceana and Pearl over here. And Harris, before they find out about Evie, so it's easier" Mal responded quickly, her smile growing as Uma's lips curved into a small but very thankful smile. Mal gently squeezed Uma's hands as she smiled, "Why don't you go and talk to Harry while I look after Dizzy before we head over to the meeting? I know you say your fine but you're really not and if you don't want to talk about it right now then fine, but you may want to consider talking to Harry. He, like everyone, misses the real you and while we all haven't been ourselves lately -with good reason too- you've been distant and tried to push everyone away more than any of us but you know we hold on too strong to be pushed away and let you deal with this on your own. Talk to him, please" Mal pleaded.

"I know I push people away" Uma started with a cracked voice, hiding her unshed tears as she turned her head to prevent her best friend from seeing the small droplets of water forming in the corners of her dark brown eyes. "I know I seem distant but..." Uma pursed her lips together to stop herself from talking before Mal gently squeezed her hands, making Uma turn her head to look at the purple-haired teenager. "I'm sorry, I just need time" Uma requested as Mal smiled and nodded in understanding.

"Okay, but promise me that when you want to talk, you will" Mal pleaded as Uma nodded in agreement, smiling at the relieved look in Mal's eyes at her best friends words. "Okay, well why don't you go to Harry and I will look after Dizzy until it's time for the meeting so she isn't alone" Mal suggested with a kind smile as Uma nodded her head in agreement. "Audrey is tucking Alex in her room but she agreed to come with us to the meeting and the reporters should be arriving soon but if you don't want to do it, tell me" Mal begged as Uma shook her head, no. "Okay then"

"I'm going to go to Harry" Uma responded as she and Mal quickly hugged, quickly whispering to one another an 'I love you' before they pulled away. Uma looked into Mal's eyes and noticed the sliver of concern for the daughter of Ursula and quickly squeezed her pale hands in reassurance. "I will be fine" Uma promised before Mal nodded in agreement and the two let go of each other's hands so Uma could walk towards the doors while Mal moved to sit beside Dizzy on the middle bed in the room. Mal smiled at Uma one last time as the daughter of Ursula closed the bedroom doors before turning back towards Dizzy, who smiled sadly up at the daughter of Maleficent while the teenager began to run her fingers through Dizzy's newly-brushed hair. Looking down at Dizzy, Mal noticed how the little girl was playing with Evie's diamond ring, twisting it around her dainty finger while staring intently at the beautifully reflective and clear diamonds at the front of the ring. Dizzy signed softly at the familiar feeling of fingers running through her hair, reminding her of the time Evie ran her own fingers through her soft hair to calm her down from the raging storm that encased the little girl's life and smiled softly at the memories that flooded her mind at the first touch.

Dizzy knew that while the soft action of Evie running her fingers through Dizzy's hair calmed her down tremendously, it also calmed down the blue-haired princess as she was able to make sure that Dizzy was safe, even somewhere as _unsafe_ as the Isle Of The Lost. Evie felt like as long as Dizzy was safe, so was safe as Evie couldn't imagine a life without the little girl's large smile or shining eyes and didn't want to. It meant that Dizzy wasn't with her evil grandmother -sweeping floors constantly like a young _Cinderella-_ if the little girl was with the blue-haired princess and that thought alone was capable of slowing down Evie's racing mind. Dizzy always felt safe in Evie's arms, like Evie had the power to stop all the evil from entering their lives even on the Isle of The Lost where evil ran free in the dirty streets. Evie was able to make Dizzy forget where she lived and allowed her to envision a life where she wasn't sweeping the floors in her grandmother's shop and instead, living a lavish life in Auradon, with Evie by her side as the two walked down the highstreets with high-end bags hanging from their arms, filled with luxury clothes. Dizzy loved to imagine that life, but the thought of the blue-haired princess not being beside her in Auradon scared her that she was now in a strange and new kingdom without the person she counted as a mother.

Mal smiled at the small smile on Dizzy's face as she continued to gaze down at the elegant ring Evie had given her daughter only a couple of days prior. The two stayed in that position for a couple of minutes, with each of their minds drifting off to the familiar memories containing the beautiful smile of the blue-haired princess who always protected them with all her power. Mal thought about the times she was sick or unwell, unable to keep up the brave facade she always wore, and the person who was always by her side, the one who made sure she ate the right food and was always comfortable as the colour drained from Mal's rosy cheeks. It was Eve who sat next to the teenager and tried to make her better, even though Mal repeatably told her to leave so she to did not get sick, and even when Evie's own checks started to lose their colouring, she still refused to leave her best friend alone until she was healthy and on her feet again. It was Evie who made sure that Mal was okay and thankfully, she decided to teach Mal the value of love, kindness and generosity even on the Isle Of The Lost. And as Mal observed the longing look in Dizzy's eyes, she was truly thankful that her friend had taken the time to teach Mal kindness because she knew that she would need it so Dizzy was happy. Evie may not have known that she would have died so early but Mal guessed that Evie knew that -because she would gladly do anything for her friends- at some point, she would leave Dizzy in the hands of her friends. Evie just wanted to make sure that Mal felt like she was ready to look after Dizzy when the time came.

"She always told me to have courage" Dizzy's head slowly lifted up to meet Mal's emerald green eyes as the purple-haired teenager spoke softly, her fingers continuing to run through Dizzy's long hair. "She always said that if somebody has faith in their self and the world we live in, no matter how hard it is, everything will be alright. I know it's hard to have faith in anyone due to the place we grew up in and now due to everything that's happened in the past couple of days but that's what makes us strong. It's what makes you strong" Mal added with a determined smile as she nodded down at Dizzy who sat up and looked questioningly at the purple-haired teenager. "I know you don't feel strong, Zeus knows I don't but we need to work together to fix the cracks in our armour or we will fall."

"How? I'm just a kid"

"When we were younger, maybe a couple of years older then you, me and Evie wanted to rule the world" Mal smirked as Dizzy looked at her questioningly, wondering why the teenager was telling her this story while she sat still and listened to the daughter of Maleficent. "She was going to be the queen of the _whole_ world and she was the only one I would think to give put my place as queen for because I knew that she would have done a far better job at ruling the world than me. Even if she wasn't that evil. But whenever Evie thought that she couldn't rule the world -that her mother was right and that she needed a man, which is completely wrong because you and I both know how independent she is- she would always tell me that we were just kids, and therefore had no real power and couldn't do something as amazing as rule the world"

"But then, I would remind of what she had accomplished as 'a kid'" Mal continued with a large smile as Dizzy blushed, finally understanding how the story related to what she was going through now. "I would remind her of how she faced her biggest fears when we had to receive my mother's sceptre, she often helped all of us when we got sick and usually gave us her food if we needed it. She was also my closest adviser -meaning that everything that happened under my rule over there, was because of her- and she was my most trusted friend. She was more of a princess -more of a _queen_ \- then I or anyone else on that island or over here could possibly think to be and so, as I watched my best friend, my _sister_ , grow up and face her own challenges, I promised her that if anything were to happen to her -whether that be she got sick or what we are dealing with now- I would make sure you and everyone were alright. Even on the Isle of The Lost, she still cared so much for everyone. Even if she was only 'a kid'" Mal finished with a small smile as Dizzy leaned down to cuddle Mal, wrapping her arms around the teenagers middle and placing her head in Mal's lap as the teenager ran her fingers through her long brown hair.

"How do I stop it?" Dizzy asked quietly. "I wish I could just stop my heart from hurting as we all did on the Isle Of The Lost. I know it wasn't the healthiest thing to do in the world -it was like torture- but it felt like no matter what happened, we could still be ourselves" Dizzy quietly muttered. "I want the old me back, the one who swept floors in the day and danced at night with her family and friends. Is it weird that I miss the old me, even if I think the old me is still...me?"

"It's not weird at all, in fact, I think that's the smartest and trusted thing I have ever heard" Mal smiled as Dizzy snuggled in closer to her. "Everything on the island was a form of torture, whether that be our parents or ourselves, we didn't like the fact that we had emotions. I know because for sixteen years, I suppressed every emotion -sadness, happiness, grief, all of them- because I thought that if I felt anything other then empty, I was weak. But you don't need to feel empty or alone because you aren't -you have the biggest heart out of anyone in this whole kingdom, let it show. If you ever wake up and feel like you need to cry or you feel alone, just tell me or Uma or Harry, Jay, Carlos or Gil and we will all give you a giant bear hug until you feel better because chances are, if you feel down, one of us also will" Mal smiled as she pulled Dizzy closer, letting the girl giggle loudly as Mal hugged her tightly.

Dizzy knew Mal was right and as she hugged the older girl back just as tightly, she understood what Mal was saying. She wasn't alone, she was never alone because she had her family by her side. Although it still hurt, Dizzy was sure that over time, the pain in her heart would transform into distant but clear memories of the mother she had lost. It was going to take time -she would cry and laugh and sign all at the same time in that space- but Dizzy knew that the time would be worth it. After all, all good things come over time. She just had to be patient and learn how to let people in and not push them out, like she had been taught to do on the Isle Of The Lost.

"Can you sing me to sleep? Mom used to all the time and you know..."

"Of course" Mal smiled as Dizzy gently rested her head on the pillow beside Mal, holding onto the purple-haired teenager's hand as she smiled up at Mal. Mal smiled back as she quietly hummed, watching while Dizzy's eyes fluttered closed after a couple of seconds.

 _"Mother cannot guide you,_  
 _Now you're on your own._  
 _Only me beside you,_  
 _Still, you not alone._  
 _No one is alone._  
 _Truly._  
 _No one is alone_

 _Mother isn't here now,_  
 _Wrong things, right things._  
 _Who knows what she'd say?_  
 _Who can say what's true?_  
 _Nothing's quite so clear no,_  
 _Do things, fight things._

 _Feel you've lost your way?_  
 _You decide, but_  
 _You are not alone._  
 _Believe me_  
 _No one is alone (No one is alone)_  
 _Believe me_  
 _Truly._

 _People make mistakes_  
 _Fathers_  
 _Mothers_  
 _People make mistakes_  
 _Holding to their own_  
 _Thinking they're alone_  
 _Honour their mistakes_  
 _Fight for their mistakes_  
 _Everybody makes_  
 _One another's terrible mistakes_  
 _Witches can be right_  
 _Giant's can be good._

 _You decide what's right,_  
 _You decide what's good._

 _Just remember (Just remember)_  
 _Someone is on your side_  
 _Your side_  
 _Your side-_  
 _Someone else is not._  
 _While we're seeing our side,_  
 _Our side_  
 _Our side_  
 _Maybe we forgot._

 _They are not alone._  
 _No one is alone_  
 _Someone is on your side_  
 _No one is alone"_

"Auntie Mal"

"Yes, dear" Mal smiled as she got off the bed and smiled down at the little girl who was cuddled up to the large pillows on the bed.

"Love Ya"

"I love you too, now, come on. Get some sleep"

* * *

After talking to the rest of the group, the girls decided that Audrey, Uma and Mal would talk to the press while Lonnie and Jane stayed with the boys -the two girls felt like they would be a better use with their respective boyfriends than with the other girls on a stage announcing Evie's fate to the whole kingdom on live TV. The boys decided that they would stay in Audrey, Jane and Lonnie's room so they could make sure that Dizzy was okay before they returned back to their normal rooms once Uma, Audrey and Mal were finished with the press. And that's where they currently were, in the Auradonians room while the daughters of Ursula, Maleficent and Sleeping Beauty stood beside the former king and queen -accompanied by Ben- as they waited for the press to settle down while they sat in the royal meeting room.

The room looked like all the other royal rooms in the castle that weren't designed for the royal family to live in, -in Mal's eyes, those rooms thankfully had a lot less gold and portraits in them- with gold borders and large white doors that matched the elegant wallpaper which had an elegant design of roses in gold. In the centre of the room, under an enchanting chandelier, was a long wooden table that currently held some of the most popular reporters Auradon had to offer, all dressed in dark suits and polished shoes, as they chatted amongst one another. The floor matched the dark wood colouring of the table and contrasted greatly with the white doors and walls which made the long room seem cosy and warm with the addition of the large fireplace at the back of the room which was currently lit. At the top of the room was a small podium where the teenagers and former king and queen were stood, with Mal in the middle -and Uma and Audrey on the left of her as Ben stood to the right of her and Queen Belle and King Adam stood off to the side of the podium- as she looked around at the quietly-talking reporters.

"Excuse me" the room quietened quickly at the sound of Mal's voice, with each reporter turning to look at the Lady Of The Court intently. Ben's fingers laced with hers as the reporters took out their pens and notepads, prepared to write down all of the Lady Of The Court's words for whatever article they were going to write. Instantly, Uma blanked out and although she tried to focus on Mal's endearing words -her beautiful description of their late sister and the simplistic version of the events of Cotillion that led to the tragedy- Uma found that it was much easier to focus on the way Audrey's hand grabbed hers in an effort to stop her own tears from falling in front of all the reporters and squeezed it reassuringly or how the fire at the back of the room flickered like it understood the effects Mal's words had on the reporters in the room as well as the teenagers standing opposite its glowing flames.

She didn't mean too but somehow, Uma's mind knew that it would be easier for her to ignore Mal's words then listen to her and take in the description of her late sister. Although she knew that she had to come to terms with the fact that Evie was gone, it still stung to hear the words from someone else's lips or her own. Evie, of course, was like her sister and a loss that great meant that Uma's already fragile heart was breaking under the immense pressure of the past events. In less than seventy-two hours, the daughter of Ursula had changed homes, -practically biding goodbye to everyone and everything she had ever known on the Isle Of The Lost, good and bad, in her sixteen years of existence- left the only biological family she had ever had that did care about her, deal with the sudden disappearance -and later death- of the daughter of the Evil Queen and on top of all of this, had to make sure everyone, including herself, was mentally and physically okay going through everything.

So, if Uma was being honest with herself -truly honest- she was _tired_. She was tired of the pain in her chest or the sadness that weighed down on her shoulders and caused her body to be heavy with grief. She was tired of the fact that her friends weren't okay. That they could cry and show their emotions to the people they loved and yet her heart was like a guarded castle under siege, stopping any emotion from escaping and instead, trapping them inside Uma's heart until they died of neglect. She supposed she should be happy that her friends were expressing their emotions so clearly -it meant that she could unquestionably state what her friends were feeling and quickly be able to fix it- but she was slightly concerned that she felt so...unable to do the same. She felt trapped -like all her emotions were invalid and not worth her time even though she knew that was false.

She hated that while her friends tried to be there for her and understand what she was going through, her heart prevented her from explaining her emotions to the people who were practically her family. She wished Pearl, Oceana and Harris were with her. While she appreciated her friend's efforts to comfort her, Uma really did need her two sisters and Harris by her side. Oceana was the most protective person Uma knew -including Harry- and while the older sister could often get very upset if Uma was hurt by anyone, she was also able to tell Uma's emotions even when the teenager couldn't herself. Uma needed someone - _anyone_ \- to tell her what to do and to just explain the effects her body was going through over the past couple of days. She had so much to be thankful for -moving from the Isle Of The Lost and leaving her mothers clutches to name a few- but she also had many reasons to cry like the loss of her family who was still on the Isle Of The Lost or the death of the blue-haired princess who filled her life with so much happiness and smiles. It was like a rollercoaster, and currently, Uma didn't know if she was going up or down, if she needed to squeal in happiness, cry in pain, or lift her hands up from the rails and be free or hold on tight and never let go. She knew what she needed to do, but... sometimes it easier to do what's easiest then what's right for yourself and others.

"Thank you for coming today and while I understand this is not the news you were looking for, we appreciate that you listened to the full story and we hope that you can respect that we need some time before we can continue on with everything. In myself and King Ben's absence, Queen Belle and King Adam will be temporarily controlling the rules of the kingdom and be attending the meetings with the court while myself and King Ben help our selves and friends through this difficult time" Mal's voice broke Uma out of her trance as the teenager looked around the room, noticing the tear-filled eyes of the reporters and the vice grip on Uma's hand belonging to Audrey as the princess tried so desperately to disguise her own tears. Uma gently squeezed Audrey's back, allowing the princess to turn her head and smile kindly at the daughter of Ursula before they both turned to watch Mal concluded her statement. "Now, the castle trusts that you will respect our wishes to be able to deal with this sudden loss of a family member on our own and in our time. Please be reassured that the Villain who caused this is now in custody and the sidekick has been placed in confinement while we continue to investigate the events. Thank you" Mal finished before she turned her head to see Audrey and Uma nodding at her in understanding -they knew how hard it must have been for Mal to talk to anyone, much less a bunch of unknown reporters, about her sister's death- and smiling at her efforts to stop the small tears from escaping her emerald green eyes.

While Ben stepped forward to answer any questions the press may have, Audrey gently released Uma's hand and walked towards Mal, shielding her from the few flashing lights of the cameras as she wrapped an arm around Mal's torso and walked towards the doors of the large meeting room, with Uma walking on the other side of Mal and holding the girls shaking hands. Mal smiled thankfully at Uma as the three girls walked out of the room and down the long hallways directed towards their shared bedrooms in pure silence. Uma knew that opening up to anyone was going to be difficult for her but she was Uma -daughter of Ursula and princess of the Isle of The Lost- and she refused to allow something as primitive as her emotions get the best of her and make her feel unheard by her family.

Uma knew that her family loved, valued and cared about her and that if something was worrying her too much, they would intervene but she also knew that she needed Oceana, Pearl and Harris, as much as the others did. They were all a family; a group of damaged people looking for a way out of their home while also fixing the scars that ran deep in each other's hearts. Oceana was the closest thing to a parent the group had -caring, protective and willing to do anything for the teenagers she called her family, no matter the cost- while also being a loving sister to Uma and Pearl, who desperately relied on the older sister for guidance and stability through everything in their lives. The group needed Oceana to be able to understand the thousand of emotions running through their system, heightening the stabbing pain in their chests, even if they could not and they also needed Pearl -to see the little girl smile, laugh and hug while also making them understand that everything would be okay in the end. Harris was protective of all the girls he classed as his sisters, and while they had grown up and become sophisticated young women, Uma knew they would appreciate the sight of the son of Hades being there with them -hugging them like they were going to be ripped away from him the moment he let go or baking them midnight cookies when they couldn't sleep due to the nightmares.

Uma felt a gentle pull of her hand as she looked around, noticing the open door of Audrey, Jane and Lonnie's room as Mal walked into the room, leaving a concerned looking Audrey and a disoriented Uma stood in the hallway outside the room. Uma smiled at Audrey as the princess raised an eyebrow at the Isle girl, having already noticed the faraway look Uma had possessed during Mal's speech. "I'm fine" Uma reassured, already knowing what Audrey was going to ask as the concerned look in Audrey's eyes increased. "I'm just going to walk around the castle, you know? Just a minute to myself. I will come back in a little while but don't let anyone come after me unless it is really important" Audrey agreed with a nod of her head as she slowly let go of Uma's hand before walking into the bedroom, where all the teenagers signed -already knowing that Uma was a challenge all on her own that they would have to help.

* * *

Uma breathed in deeply before she gently pushed the glass, French windows open and stepped out onto the semi-circle balcony which connected the end of the large hallway she had walked down moments ago, only a story above where she first started her adventure. Below the semi-circle balcony was Belle's rose garden, light up by the small fairy lights under the sparkling stars above where the daughter of Ursula stood on the balcony and full of vibrant trees and beautiful roses that sparkled like a thousand bags of Pixie Dust from Pixie-hollow. The paths below the balcony were made up of small pebbles that shined in the slow light going from the fairy lights that hung from the tall oak trees which grew in front of the bushes beside the path, shadowing the delicate roses under the branches and vibrant leaves. Above the top of the oak trees in the rose garden was the shore of Auradon, glowing in the stars light as the waves crashed softly onto the sandy beaches currently empty of visitors as it stood under the tall hills of houses and castles which surrounded Castle Beast and the capital of Auradon. In the distance, Uma could make out the soft sounds of dolphins swimming in the sea peacefully under the heavens, calling out to one another as they swam around Auradon's shore.

Uma could make out all of Auradon from here, the beautifully large castle's on top of the green hills that surrounded the large cities underneath them busy with life and shining brightly from the lights in the windows of homes and shops -where Uma was sure families were cuddled up to one another watching a movie before going to bed. The daughter of Ursula could make out the Isle of The Lost from where it stood a mile or so away from the shore of Auradon and the soft glow of the dime lights coming from the dark island where she could image her sisters and Harris sat in the study as Oceana worked on some documents Uma was sure that she was supposed to do instead of her older sister and Harris plated Pearl's hair to get ready for bed in a couple of minutes -Uma had taught the son of Hades how to braid Pearl's hair a couple of years ago, when Harris first entered her family, so he could do it when Oceana was too busy or when Uma wasn't in the castle and Uma was proud to say that Harris caught on quickly to the hair-advice.

Uma stepped forward again and pressed her hands against the barrier on the balcony, her eyes scanning over the whole of the new kingdom she now lived in while she signed in contentment, wondering how such a beautiful kingdom could bring so much pain. Uma realised that the kingdom was covered in a thick blanket of beauty which hid the truth of pain and sadness under its comfortable wool. All the posters Uma saw as a child which promoted a beautiful kingdom full of happiness and joy, promoted the false idea that where she loved effected Uma's emotions and destiny. She - _foolishly_ Uma thought- believed that if Uma lived in Auradon, surrounded by happiness and hope for the world and the people who lived within it, and she was only now realising how wrong she was.

It didn't matter if she lived in Auradon or the Isle Of The Lost because it only mattered whether or not she had her friends and family by her side to face whatever she had to face in either of the two kingdoms. Uma stayed silent as she watched the light above twinkle against the blanket of night, wondering about everything that had happened in the past couple of days. If anyone was to ask Uma how long she stood outside, watching the blanket of night as the clouds rolled over the full moon above her, she would have honestly told them that she had no idea because eventually, the soft chirps of birds and the howling of the wind mixed into one another and Uma was having a hard time separating the sounds from one another.

Mal had been looking for the daughter of Ursula for the last thirty minutes -after waiting three and a half hours in Audrey, Jane and Lonnie's room with the rest of the gang- and she was starting to get worried as she walked down the corridors. Mal had told everyone else to get some sleep once Ben had returned from the conference, explaining about how the reporters asked little questions about Evie's death for their articles and offered their condolences, and the purple-haired teenager told her friends that she was going to look for the daughter of Ursula after she noticed that the temperature outside had decreased thanks to the sun going down and that Uma was probably freezing. Luckily, Mal found her best friend faster then she thought she would, stood outside on the balcony with her back towards the doors and staring up at the evening stars. The daughter of Maleficent walked towards the doors and slowly opened them, watching Uma as she made no movement to acknowledge Mal's presence while the teenager closed the glass doors behind her and pulled Ben's blue and gold jacket -which certainly didn't go with her outfit- tighter to her body as the cold nibbled at her exposed skin.

 _"The evening star is shining bright"_ Mal sung softly as she walked towards her best friend, quickly wrapping her shoulders with one of the spare jackets she had brought with her when she noticed Uma's shaking shoulders. Uma broke her gaze away from the stars and smiled at her best friend, clasping the front of the jacket to keep it from falling as she slowly rested her head on Mal's shoulder once the teenager pulled her friend into a side hug.

 _"So make a wish and hold on tight,_  
 _There's magic in the air tonight,_  
 _And anything can happen"_

"Hey Mal" Uma muttered as she raised one of her hands -still keeping a tight grip on her jacket as her body shook violently from cold- and wiped her rosy checks, finding them wet from the moisture leaking from her eyes that Uma didn't even know was there. The daughter of Ursula hadn't realised that she was crying and signed softly as she felt Mal look down at her, her eyes full of love and concern as she noticed the large tears falling down Uma's checks and in the corners of the girl's deep brown eyes. Mal moved quickly, pulling Uma into a tight hug as Uma placed her head in the curve of Mal's neck while she wrapped her arm around her best friend's torso, smiling softly as she felt the gentle caresses of the tip of Mal's fingers as she created imaginary shapes on the girls back.

Mal didn't say anything but try and comfort her best friend, holding her tightly as tears continued to leak from Uma's eyes and sobs racked through the daughter of Ursula's body. For how long the two stayed like that, Mal didn't have a clue but she knew that when she pulled away slowly to look at her best friend, her tears had stopped and now, there were lines drawn onto Uma's checks that went all the way to the girls pouting lips. Mal smiled as she brought a hand up and lightly wiped away her friend's tears, leaving her hand resting on Uma's check as she looked down towards the floor, ignoring Mal's kind and reassuring smile as her own eyes gleamed with her unshed tears upon seeing her best friend cry so violently in her arms.

"How long have I been out here?"

"Four hours or so" Mal answered softly as Uma hummed in acknowledgement. "What have you being doing out here?" Uma signed as she shrugged her shoulders as Mal nodded, dropping the subject immediately as she figured that whatever Uma had been thinking about, wasn't something she was ready to share. While it scared Mal that her best friend wasn't talking and changes were happening, she knew that she was exactly the same -she found herself shutting people out, even the people she promised herself she would never shut out in her life- and Mal understood that currently, Uma just needed a shoulder to cry on instead of someone who would pester her for answers.

"Did you need me or something?" Uma asked quietly as she looked up at her best friend. "Is everyone alright? Dizzy? Harry? Gil? What about Jay and Carlos? Please tell me nothing has happened while I've been gone" Uma began to panic until Mal smiled and shook her head, no, causing Uma to sign in thankfulness. It didn't surprise Mal that even when Uma was crying and shaking like a leaf in a thunderstorm, she still cared deeply about her friends and worried about them when she wasn't with them. "Then what's wrong?" Uma asked, concern lacing her voice as she looked at her best friend who was smiling kindly.

"We have a surprise" Mal smirked as she unwrapped her arms from around Uma and grabbed the girls hands, giving them a gentle squeeze as Uma looked at her best friend confusingly. "I mean, that with a little bit of planning on Ben's part, we were about to send a limo and get her here before the days up. She just arrived when I left to get you" Mal grinned. "Come on, she's already packing in her room and I promised I would get you before she goes to sleep so we don't have much time. Come on" Mal added as she gently pulled Uma's hands towards the glass doors, making the teenager smile as she followed the daughter of Maleficent while shaking her head.

"Who came by, Mal? Who's here?"

"Your surprise, of course. Must I repeat everything"

* * *

Uma smiled sheepishly as she pushed the golden door open, smiling at Mal who was beside her while she opened the door and stepped inside the room, looking around the room with a hidden interest. The room was the same size as Uma's room in the castle -if Uma paid any attention to where Mal had pulled her, then she would have realised that the room she was now in was opposite her own- but only had one bed, which was pushed against the right wall so the side of it was facing Uma, so the daughter of Ursula could see the half-unpacked suitcases lay at the bottom of the silk bed, covered in decorative pillows. At the very bottom of the bed was a larger suitcase which was white and gold -obviously intended for the room- which rested on the cream coloured carpet which was laid down under it. Opposite the bed was a vanity table with a large mirror hanging on the wall and a white chair for someone to sit in that was pushed in the corner of the room, next to a floor-length window that looked out onto the semi-circle balcony which faced the ocean and Isle of The Lost. At the other end of the room, were two doors -one leading to the large walk-in closet and the other leading to the marble bathroom- and in between the two doors, was a large desk covered in stacks of papers and a thin laptop opened up to display some more documents. The large chandelier in the centre of the tall ceiling was turned on and the crystals glowed brightly in the reflective surface of the giant french-windows which led to the semi-circle balcony.

Uma looked back at Mal as she walked into the room cautiously wondering who she was meeting as she heard the clicking of a light switch coming from the bathroom, followed by the lock of the bathroom door being unlocked and its opening to reveal a tall woman. She was wearing a pair of poke-a-dot pyjama bottoms that had a silk bow at the top of it to tie it around the women's small waist and her top was a simple black, long-sleeved top which had a simple neckline on it. The women's braided hair was pulled up into a bun at the top of her head as she dabbed her neck with a shower towel -indicating to a shocked Uma that the women had just exited the shower. The women looked up after hearing Uma's shocked gasp, small tears welling in her eyes at the sight of the daughter of Ursula as she dropped her towel on the ground, "Uma"

"O-Oceana" Uma muttered as she rushed forward and engulfed her older sister in a hug, holding her sister close as Oceana wrapped her own arms around Uma's torso. Uma had no clue how her sister was in Auradon of all places, especially since Oceana had always said that she would stay on the Isle of The Lost until every child and well-deserving adult was out of harms way on the Island and was living a good life in Auradon -she also said that she needed to appoint a new ruler so after they left, the island didn't descend into madness and uncivilised behaviour ensured. But currently, Uma didn't care about why her sister decided to visit Auradon and instead, focused on the tight hug Oceana was giving her as she placed quickly but equally loving kisses on the top of her head.

"H-How are you here? I remember you saying you would never come to Auradon unless all the children were off of the island" Uma recalled as she gently moved back, allowing her tear-filled eyes to meet Oceana's while the queen raised her hand and rested it on her younger sisters check, signing softly as she felt Uma relax -for the first time in a couple of days- into her hand. "Is Pearl here?" Uma asked softly, a hint of panic in her voice at the thought of her younger sister being left on the Isle of The Lost or stuck in Auradon. She knew that she would much rather have Pearl in Auradon then on the Isle of The lost but Uma would also prefer to have her sisters with her instead of with anyone else -a fact she knew was ridiculous because the only people who would have Pearl would be Uma's friends who were all very trustworthy people but Uma suspected that she was too protective and wanted to know exactly where her family where. "What about Harris? How's the Isle doing? Please tell me you don't have a lot of work to do since I'm gone."

"Pearl is still on the Island with Harris, getting her to pack and be ready and leaving the Isle without anyone to rule it would have been to much work in such a small amount of time and we would have had to wait a whole other day to see you. By Mal's letter, it sounded drastically urgent and I could feel your sadness about Evie even on the Isle with the barrier suppressing it so I knew I had to come over and check on you and the others" Oceana explained with a kind smile. "Sophie promised me that she would take care of the Isle while Harris looked after Pearl, making sure she is alright with the news of Evie's fate. Poor Pearl wanted so desperately to come with me -she really did- but I promised her that in a couple of days time, with Mal's and king Ben's permission, she and Harris could visit Auradon before all three of us return to the Isle. But firstly, I have to make sure everyone is alright and by the sound of it, you are the one I need to start with" Oceana smiled softly at Uma's guilty look while the teenager giggled under her breath.

"So you know what happened?"

"Of course, I do. I almost screamed when I figured out that it was Ursula" For the first time in Uma's life, Oceana was truly angry and Uma could say that she understood Oceana's emotions. It was one thing to feel immense sadness at the loss of a sister but to know that it was their _mother_ who had hurt Uma's best friend -a girl who was almost like her sister in every way bar blood- caused anger to seep through Oceana's veins when she first learned of the event. Of course, she had to hide that emotion but Uma knew that her sister would be angry -heck, even Uma was angry about the fact that Ursula had caused the attack- and it was nice to understand that her emotion she valid and someone understood it. "I am so immensely proud that you were able to fight Ursula and save the kingdom with your friends. Mal explained everything in her letter and the small details she missed was filled in for me when I arrived, so I know about what happened and what has happened with you"

"So you know about the...?"

"The panic attack, the shutting people out? Yea, I know"

"I am sorry for interrupting, but I just wanted to say that Uma, there are blankets for you in the trunk if you decide to stay with Oceana" Mal said as Oceana and Uma slowly pulled away from one another, smiling kindly at the purple-haired teen as Oceana opened her arms as an invite to a hug while raising her perfectly groomed eyebrow at the teenager she often considered her family member by everything but blood. Mal smiled as she walked forward, engulfing Uma and Oceana into a hug as Oceana quickly kissed the top of her head, running her fingers through Mal's hair while the three of them hugged. "Well, I will leave you two alone" Mal smiled as she pulled away looking at Uma reassuringly while the teen wiped away the last remaining tears. Oceana smiled at Mal while the teenager leaned in and whispered to her, "Please, make sure she talks about things. Like I wrote in my letter, things aren't great" Mal whispered before pulling away fully and making her way to the doors.

Mal smiled as she closed the door, hearing the soft mumbles of the two sisters talking as they moved to sit on the silk bed and walked towards Jane, Lonnie and Audrey's room just across the hall. The corridor was no longer lit up by the glow of the chandeliers and was now illuminated by the soft glow of the candles hanging on the walls by their golden holders beside the white doors of the girl's room. Mal quietly opened the door to see her group of friends, lay around the room while they talked in hushed whispers to one another about many different topics. Lonnie was sat comfortably in one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace -her pyjama covered legs thrown over the arms- as Jay leaned against the back of the chair and talked quietly with Jane and Carlos who were sat and stood in a similar position. Alex was resting sound asleep next to Audrey on the closest bed to Mal while the princess talked to Gil about some of his memories on the Isle of The Lost as he corrected some of her facts about the island -Gil was more than happy to tell his girlfriend about his life on the island and how he came to meet Harry and Uma, the closest things he had ever had to true siblings which made Audrey smile kindly. Ben and Harry were stood at the back of the room, gazing out at Belle's rose garden while the two silently talked about their respectable girlfriends lives on the island after Ben said that Mal never really talked about it as much as the others did and Harry thought it would be nice to talk to the boyfriend of his sister.

Mal smiled at the whole group as she walked into the room, heading state towards her boyfriend who still didn't know she was in the room. Mal smiled as she wrapped her arms around Ben's waist, smiling sheepishly at Harry as Ben turned around and wrapped an arm around Mal to pull her closer in front of him, planting a gentle kiss on top of Mal's head while the purple-haired teen cuddled closer to Ben's chest with her back. Harry smiled at the couple, happy that the girl he considered his sister was happy with someone who treated her with respect and wanted what's best for her but also understood that she was not a damsel in distress and could protect herself -she _was_ born on the Isle of The Lost after all. "Hey, Pirate" Mal greeted as Ben wrapped his arms around Mal's waist and Mal placed her hands on Ben's, securing it tightly around her.

"Hey, Dragon. Did Uma like her surprise?"

"Of course she did, Harry" Mal reassured with a kind smile. "Without you, I would have never been able to do this and I am so grateful. I think for the first time in a while, Uma will talk about her feelings and be alright." Mal reassured Harry before the three returned to gazing at the rose garden below, admiring the beautiful reflection of the stars against the red petals of the rose and the subtle glow of the water at the bottom of the path which led to the castle's private beach. While Ben believed that having his own private beach was a privilege and an honour not many people had in his kingdom, he was starting to appreciate it a lot more now that he had people to share it with -to laugh with as they walk down the sandy shores or have friendly campfires on the shore within the beautiful sunsets as they ate smores and drank freshly made hot chocolate- and he knew that after everything settled down and people began to smile more than frown, he and his friends and family would be able to enjoy the beach, just like he and Evie had whenever the princess stayed at the castle.

The young king had fond memories of walking across the beach, throwing small stones to the calm water's waves until the soft steps of his blue-haired friend brought him out of his sleepless trance, causing him to turn and smile as she held two cups of freshly made hot chocolate in her hand. Ben loved memories where he and Evie would stand beside one another, holding cups of hot chocolate with fresh cream and shavings of rich chocolate as they quietly talked amongst themselves but sometimes, in rare moments where the waves were calm and the moon was full, the two didn't need the simplistic sound of words and could stand together, wrapped in a thick blanket of comfortable silence which defended the two against the harshly cold winds which blew against Evie's dark blue curls. He just hoped that he could be able to have similar memories again with his friends.

"Hey, Mal" Audrey called out after half an hour of the three friends being in silence, causing Mal to turn around in Ben's arms to see the smiling princess. "You have to help me here. Gil, says that you used to prank Yzma by swapping her poisons and apparently, you turned her into a cuddly puppy for a day" Audrey giggled as Mal smiled and nodded, slowly walking out of Ben's arms and towards the bed and she climbed on and quickly threw her arm around Gil's shoulder, laying her head on the blushing pirates shoulders while the rest of the room turned towards the purple-haired princess. Mal cleaned her throat as the rest of the group listened intently to Mal's story, laughing quietly at the funny parts and smiling sweetly at the humorous parts which involved the blue-haired princess.

The truth was, that Yzma was one of the few villains who still retained her sense of humour and while she had been slightly annoyed that it was a _puppy_ she was turned into, she quickly laughed about it when she saw the horrified look cross Carlos's face when Mal had called her friends for help. Like most situations, Mal quickly called Oceana for her help once Evie had run some tests -something Mal was very proud of as she watched her best friend act like a true doctor and scientist when trying to come up with a conclusion to how they were going to get Yzma into her true, human form- and came to the conclusion that she couldn't reverse the situation until the poison wore off. Of course, after everything went back to normal, Yzma and the group refused to talk about the event and went back to their normal lives but the teenagers still giggled about it to this day, smiling proudly at Evie for her using her brain instead of her looks to solve any situation and proud of Carlos that he was able to get over his fear of dogs -even if he was shaking to the bone at the time.

Ben smiled as she watched his girlfriend tell the story with animated gestures and a gleeful look in her eyes, laughing along with her friends as she explained the story. "You know, she really loves you" Harry muttered, making Ben break his gaze away from his girlfriend and towards the pirate who was still watching in amusement as Mal told the story. "You make her stronger, give her something to fight for. Before you, Mal would have done anything for her family -she has done anything and she's gotten in pretty stupid situations because of that- but now, you make her realise that just running into a situation blind is stupid and she has learned to let people help her" Harry added. "Thanks"

"I don't think I did anything"

"You may not see it, but I do. She has changed"

"How?"

"See that glint in her eyes" Harry nodded towards Mal's eyes, which -as he said- had a shimmer of emerald green in the corner of Mal's eyes. "Or the sparkle in her smile" Harry added when Mal smiled widely at her friend's laughter. Ben hummed in acknowledgement as he looked at his beautiful girlfriend, smiling gratefully as he continued to watch Mal tell her story. "She never used to look like that on the island and thankfully, after everything that's happened, she still smiles. That's because of you, Ben" Harry nodded

"What? No, Prince Beasty?" Ben teased as he turns to look at Harry fully. While Harry had been in Auradon, his Isle habits hadn't washed away and he was more than happy to continue the trend of nicknaming everyone instead of using their true name. On an island where having friends instead of alliances were rare, many VK's resulted in using nicknames in a way of building friendships with people and so they could talk about someone without the surrounding people knowing who the person was. To use someone's true name on the Isle, was an act of friendship -which meant that it was rare- as it meant that the person wasn't viewed as higher or lower than the person and instead, insinuating that they were equals on an island where everyone was trying to gain more power over there peers.

"No, it's Ben" Harry replied as he extended his hand out to Ben for a handshake, smiling at the young king when he clasped his hand around Harry's and shook it. "You make Mal happy, and that's enough for me to treat you like a friend. Welcome to the crew" Harry added as Ben nodded in a thank you. At that moment, Mal turned around, smiling softly at the sight of Harry and Ben shaking hands and finally talking like true friends. Mal soon realised that everything was going to be fine; Oceana had come to help Uma, Harry and Ben were now friends and Mal could tell that Dizzy was going to be okay. And that was alright to her.


End file.
